[Reader-list] Screenings of Destiny

[Lehar ..]

friends
help/ ideas and recomnedations are welcome on the
screening of the internationally acclaimed masterpiece
by Egypt's greatest director, Yousuf Chahine:
La destine/ Destiny/ Al Masir
winner of the Golden Palm at Cannes. (if anyone has an
extra copy, that will also be helpful)
screenings planned in Delhi and other cities.
In lieu of the resonating message..wide popularity and
 contemporary relevance of the film..
lookgin fwd to your fdback..
best

Review:
A bold, radiant and intelligent film from Egypt's
master director, Youssef Chahine. After the Christian
disciple of a great 12th century Arab philosopher is
burned at the stake for heresy, his young son decides
that he will study under his father's mentor. Soon he
is caught up in a battle between the philosopher's
students and religious fundamentalists who object to
their enlightenment. 

"...a rollicking intellectual adventure...a colorful,
dynamic celebration of the joy of knowledge" (Sean
Axmaker, Seattle Weekly).

In Arabic with English subtitles.

The IMDB review:
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0119629
Summary: Brave, exuberant filmmaking

Americans and Europeans should treat themselves to the
courageous joy of this infectious film, if you can
find it. If you're looking for Latcho Drom with a
great story, this is it!

Destiny is singularly beautiful in that it celebrates
humanist passions and ideas as they were once allowed
to be expressed in the Islamic culture of 12th century
Spain. The Egyptian director Youssef Chahine ventures
this anti-fundamentalist statement in a contemporary
cultural climate where fundamentalism is on the rise.
It exposes the street fascism and subtle eroticism
that seduces young men into such sects.

Destiny is exuberant. It has humor, music, dancing,
free thinking dialogue, intriguing sets and
architecture and, most of all, the ensemble portrayal
of a joyful philosophic community whose members you
can really grow to love. All the earthly things
fundamentalists detest!

Chahine deserves a larger world audience, by virtue of
his bravery and outspoken-ness. He argues at risk of
his own life in this film. If Akira Kurosawa could be
embraced so wholeheartedly by the international
community, so should Chahine. This film is a landmark.
I hope financing from our part of the world will find
its way to him. He has guts and passion.

The film itself is like nothing else you will see made
on these shores. It is emotionally unabashed. Our
western ideals of coolness and hipness restrict many
of our directors and actors. Passion is too often
reserved for climactic moments, and commonly those
moments are angry intimidation or vengeance scenes
sparked by the Pacino clones of the world. Much of the
actor's job is running and posing. In Destiny, the
actors are not posing - they are joyfully uninhibited
and alive!

Recommended highly!! Vigorous entertainment. Brave
ideas. Exotic sets. Bold, hand-hewn directorial
craftsmanship. Great true story. And your only chance
to see 12th century Andalusian culture come alive! 





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