| Directer: | Youssef Chahine |
| Starring: | Ahmed Bedir, Hanan Tork, Khaled El Nabaoui, Michel Piccoli |
| Countries: | Egypt |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Year: | 1994 |
| Type: | Color |
| Language: | Arabic (w/English subt.), English |
| Length: | 123 mins. |
| Aspect Ratio: | 1.66:1 |
Synopsis
The Emigrant tells the epic biblical tale of Joseph, son of Jacob, from the Egyptian perspective. Ram, the Joseph character, is a dreamer and intellectual, bullied by his elder brothers. He dreams of leaving his family's nomadic life to study agriculture in Egypt, the hub of civilization. Sold into slavery by his brothers, Ram overcomes tough odds and manages to win the admiration of those around, but at a price.
Filled with beautiful locations, exotic Egyptian ruins, and lush reenactments of decadent cult rituals, The Emigrant unleashed a storm of protest when released. Director Chahine was sued by fundamentalists for daring to depict forbidden images of a revered religious figure. When the court ban was finally lifted a year later, the film went on to become his biggest domestic success ever.
(*Previously Distributed by Image Entertainment)
Critical Acclaim
"Veteran director Youssef Chahine comes up trumps with The Emigrant, a fascinating retelling of the Genesis tale..." - Derek Elley, Variety
"That Chahine's films are engaging, entertaining -- and often dazzling -- is granted, for he is a consummate showman in the best sense of the word." - Sight and Sound
Extras on DVD
Director's statement
Biography and Filmography
