New York City’s First Muslim Arts Festival
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Film | Egypt
Destiny (al-Massir)
Sunday, Jun 14th 2:00pm
$11
Destiny relates the life story of Averroës, the 12th century Andalusian philosopher best-known for his commentaries on Aristotle and for his insistence that reason and faith are not incompatible.
Youssef Chahine, one of Egypt’s greatest and most iconoclastic filmmakers, brings Averroës’ story to life in this complex and exuberantly contradictory film, punctuated by extravagant musical numbers.
In parallel, BAMcinématek presents the film retrospective Tribute to Youssef Chahine from May 29 to June 7.
In French and Arabic with English subtitles.
Directed by Youssef Chahine
With Nour El-Sharif, Laila Eloui
1997, 135min
2:00, 8:00pm
Artists
Born in Egypt’s Alexandria in 1926, Youssef Chahine was educated at private schools, including the elite, English-language Victoria College, the city’s pre-eminent high school. He was fascinated by theater and the performing arts at an early age and, still in his teens, Chahine convinced his parents to let him travel to Hollywood to study acting.