Previously at the ICA - Films

Youssef Chahine, The Sparrow, 1972

Safar: The Sparrow + Intro

21 Sep 2014

From the great auteur of Arab cinema comes this sumptuous digitally re-mastered 35mm print of a cinematic gem. Set shortly before and during the Six Day War in June of 1967, The Sparrow follows a young police officer stationed in a small village in Upper Egypt whose inhabitants suffer from the harassment of a corrupt businessman.

The officer crosses paths with a journalist who is investigating what appears to be a scandal involving the theft of weapons and machinery by high ranking officials. Using the protagonist Bahiya's house as a meeting place, the police officer and the journalist come together to uncover this circle of black marketeers. During the inquiries, war breaks out and President Gamal Abdel Nasser announces his resignation.

Read the Safar 2014 blog post by the Arab British Centre about The Sparrow

Egypt | 1972 | Dir: Youssef Chahine | 105 mins | Cert: 12A

When

E.g., 31-07-2021
E.g., 31-07-2021