A rural Egyptian village unsuccessfully attempts to retain access to its water. Told that they can only irrigate their land a few days a month, several of the villagers are arrested for overwatering.
Although the outside threat originally seems to unite the villagers, divisions resurface.
Cast: Mahmoud El-Meliguy, Yehia Chahine, Ezzat El Alaili, Hamdy Ahmed, Tewfik El Dekn, Salah El-Saadany, Ali El Scherif, Nagwa Ibrahim
Cinematography: Abdelhalim Nasr Edited by: Rashida Abdel Salam Music by: Ali Ismail
The film narrates the conflict between Egyptian peasants and their landlord in the 1930s, and explores the complex relation between individual interests and collective responses to oppression.
It is based on a popular novel by Abd al-Rahman Sharqawi.
The Land was entered into the 1970 Cannes Film Festival.
About this movie
Title: The Land | Al-ard (1969)
Directed by: Youssef Chahine
Date of birth: 25 January 1926, Alexandria, Kingdom of Egypt Date of death
Date of death: 27 July 2008, Cairo, Egypt
Writing credits: Abd al-Rahman Sharqawi, Hassan Fuad
Music: Ali Ismail
Year: 1969
Country: Egypt
Language: Arabic
Color: Color
Runtime: 130 min.