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IMDbPro

Destiny

Original title: Al-massir
  • 19971997
  • 2h 15m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3K
YOUR RATING
Khaled Nabawy and Nour El-Sherif in Destiny (1997)
ComedyDramaHistory
The story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph and his liberal court judgments are not... Read allThe story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph and his liberal court judgments are not liked by everyone. The caliph's political rivals, centered around the leader of a fanatic... Read allThe story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph and his liberal court judgments are not liked by everyone. The caliph's political rivals, centered around the leader of a fanatical Islamic sect, force the caliph to send Averroes into exile, but his ideas keep on livin... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3K
YOUR RATING
    • Youssef Chahine
    • Khairiya A-Mansour(co-director)
    • Youssef Chahine
    • Khaled Youssef
  • Stars
    • Nour El-Sherif
    • Layla Olwi
    • Mahmoud Hemida
    • Youssef Chahine
    • Khairiya A-Mansour(co-director)
    • Youssef Chahine
    • Khaled Youssef
  • Stars
    • Nour El-Sherif
    • Layla Olwi
    • Mahmoud Hemida
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 15User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Photos30

    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)
    Destiny (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nour El-Sherif
    Nour El-Sherif
    • Averroes
    • (as Nour El Cherif)
    Layla Olwi
    Layla Olwi
    • The gypsy woman
    Mahmoud Hemida
    Mahmoud Hemida
    • Al Mansour, The Caliph
    • (as Mahmoud Hemeida)
    Safia El Emari
    Safia El Emari
    • Averroes' Wife
    • (as Safia El Emary)
    Mohamed Mounir
    • The Bard
    Khaled Nabawy
    Khaled Nabawy
    • Nasser, The Crown Prince
    • (as Khaled El Nabaoui)
    Seif Abdelrahman
    Seif Abdelrahman
    • The Caliph's Brother
    • (as Seif Abdel Rahman)
    Abdalla Mahmoud
    Abdalla Mahmoud
    • Borhan
    Ahmed Fouad Selim
    • Cheikh Riad
    Rogeena
    • Salma
    • (as Regina)
    Magdy Edris
    • Emir of the Sect
    • (as Magdi Idris)
    Ahmed Moukhtar
    • Bard
    Sherifa Maher
    • Manuella's Mother
    Rayek Azzab
    • El Razi
    Hasan El-Adl
    • Gaafar
    Hani Salama
    Hani Salama
    • Abdellah
    Faris Rahoma
    • Youssef
    Mohamed Malas
      • Youssef Chahine
      • Khairiya A-Mansour(co-director)
      • Youssef Chahine
      • Khaled Youssef
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to an interview actor Nour El-Sherif stated that the role of Ibn Roshd was supposed to be played by director Youssef Chahine himself, but Nour told him that he was not suitable for the role.
    • Quotes

      Caliph's brother: Thoughts have wings. No one can prevent them from flying.

    • Connections
      Featured in Humbert Balsan, producteur rebelle (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Alli sotak
      and "Gamr el Hawa", words by Sameh El Kodoussi and Kawssar Mostapha, music by Kamal El Tawil

      Performed by Mohamed Mounir

    User reviews15

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Interesting film about a great philosopher
    Destiny (1997) is an Egyptian film co-written and directed by Youssef Chahine. It stars Nour El-Sherif as Averroes, a famous Muslim philosopher in the 12th Century.

    The movie has one of the grimmest beginnings I've ever seen. It never gets quite that grim again, but the first few minutes are hard to sit through.

    After that, the story is interesting, if hard to understand. The philosopher Averroes was a historical figure. He sometimes lived in North Africa, and sometimes in Andalusia. (Nour El-Sherif is an excellent actor, and he makes us believe in Averroes as a real human being, and not just as a philosopher on a pedestal.)

    Averroes translated the works of Aristotle into Arabic, and then he wrote commentaries about them. It's possible that these works would have been lost if Averroes had not undertaken this immense intellectual task.

    The basic plot of the story circles around the interaction of Averroes with the Caliph, and the Caliph's brother and sons. I have to admit that I got the sense of who was doing what to whom, but I couldn't always understand the details.

    This movie is worth seeing because it's colorful, well-acted, and shows us events about which many of us know very little. It has a solid IMDb rating of 7.3, and I recommend it. It will work better on the large screen.

    We were able to see it at Rochester's wonderful Dryden Theatre where it was shown--free--as part of a series entitled Salam. The series is being presented to commemorate the lives of the victims of the atrocities at the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in New Zealand, and in solidarity with Muslim people.

    The series was organized by the Eastman Museum in partnership with the Islamic Center of Rochester. I commend both institutions for using artistic works to combat and decry hatred.
    helpful•3
    0
    • Red-125
    • May 4, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 16, 1998 (United States)
      • France
      • Egypt
      • French
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Krak des Chevaliers, Syria
    • Production companies
      • Canal+
      • Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC)
      • Fonds Sud Cinéma
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 15 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby
      • Dolby SR

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