Agora (2009)

A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hope of pursuing freedom while falling in love with his mistress, the philosophy and mathematics professor Hypatia of Alexandria.

Director:

Alejandro Amenábar

Writers:

Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil

Stars:

Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac

11 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel Weisz	...	Hypatia
Max Minghella	...	Davus
Oscar Isaac	...	Orestes
Ashraf Barhom	...	Ammonius
Michael Lonsdale	...	Theon
Rupert Evans	...	Synesius
Homayoun Ershadi	...	Aspasius
Sami Samir	...	Cyril (as Sammy Samir)
Richard Durden	...	Olympius
Omar Mostafa	...	Isidorus
Manuel Cauchi	...	Theophilus
Oshri Cohen	...	Medorus
Charles Thake	...	Hesiquius
Harry Borg	...	Prefect Evragius
Yousef 'Joe' Sweid	...	Peter (as Yousef Sweid)

Storyline

Alexandria, 391 AD: Hypatia teaches astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Her student Orestes is in love with her, as is Davus, her personal slave. As the city's Christians, led by Ammonius and Cyril, gain political power, the institutions of learning may crumble along with the governance of slavery. Jump ahead 20 years: Orestes, the city's prefect, has an uneasy peace with the Christians, led by Cyril. A group from the newly empowered Christians has now taken to enforce their cultural hegemony zealously; first they see the Jews as their obstacle, then nonbelievers. Hypatia has no interest in faith; she's concerned about the movement of celestial bodies and "the brotherhood of all". Although her former slave doesn't see it that way.

---

Plot Keywords:

roman empire | 5th century | 4th century | ancient egypt | slave | 

---

Taglines:

Alexandria, Egypt. 391 A.D. The World Changed Forever

---

Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Spain] Official site [France]

Country:

Spain Malta Bulgaria

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 2009 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Agora

Filming Locations:

Delimara, Malta

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$33,262, 30 May 2010

Gross USA:

$619,423

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,457,342

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mod Producciones, Himenóptero, Telecinco Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min 141 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, Alejandro Amenábar wanted Rachel Weisz, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jonathan Rhys Meyers to appear in the film. After reading the screenplay, Baron Cohen turned the part down, declaring it "too prickly, and it would lift sores."

---

Goofs

Although the film shows Synesius abandoning Hypatia and attacking her theories when she refuses to convert to Christianity, in reality it was Hypatia who broke off all contact with Synesius. No record exists of his ever having tried to convert her and his letters to her even after she refused to respond are full of glowing praise for her, begging for a reply. His last surviving letter was written to her.

---

Quotes

Hypatia: Ever since Plato, all of them - Aristarchus, Hipparchus, Ptolemy - they have all, all, all tried to reconcile their observations with circular orbits. But what if another shape is hiding in the heavens?
Davus: Another shape? Lady, there is no shape more pure than the circle; you taught us that.
Hypatia: I know, I know, but suppose - just suppose! - the purity of the circle has blinded us from seeing anything beyond it! I must begin all over with new eyes. I must rethink everything!... What if we dared to look ...

---

Connections

Edited into Alexandria: The Greatest City (2010)

User Reviews

Beautiful film

a really engaging film looking at the clash of Christians & Pagans in 4th Century Roman AD. The loss of ancient knowledge and destruction by ignorant violent mobs Hypatia, a female mathematician, philosopher and astronomer in 4th century AD Roman Egypt - a most interesting historical character. & the important of tolerance and asking questions, the pursuit of knowledge. beautifully shot film as well, a window of a lost society. I love Ancient History & was nice to see it brought to the screen. just tragic the destruction of ancient knowledge by stupid mobs whipped up by crazy zealots just makes you wonder with the collapse of the Roman empire how much ancient knowledge was destroyed