The Land (Al-Ard )
Dir: Youssef Chahine
Egypt , 1970, Arabic, 130mins, DCP
Cast: Mahmoud El Meliguy, Nagwa Ibrahim, Ezzat El Alaili
Made in the wake of the 1967 war with Israel, The Land powerfully adapts Abdel Rahman al-Sharqawi’s classic novel into an exploration of collective resistance. Set in the 1930s, the story follows a group of small farmers in their battle with local wealthy landlords over their rights for water to irrigate their f ields. When the landlords enlist the local authorities to severely limit access to the water, the farmers realise their only option is to stand together. Avoiding caricatures, Chahine insightfully sketches all the protagonists in this conflict, showing how each side believes they have their reasons for what they do.
Cannes Film Festival: In Competition
1/3(Sun):Seminar with Long Tin and Mimi Wong
Screening:
In-theatre Screening
Of Land and Men - The Social Cinema of Youssef Chahine
2026-02-01 (Sun)
15:452026-03-01 (Sun)
16:15
Post-screening talk
