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During the Second World War, teenage Yehia dreams of studying cinema while his quirky family, living atop a theatre, endure air raids by playing backgammon and eating ice cream. The first instalment of Chahine’s semi-autobiographical trilogy interweaves the personal with the philosophical and a critique of Western imperialism.
As part of the Drama and Desire: The Films of Youssef Chahine season at Ciné Lumière
Texts by Elhum Shakerifar for Drama and Desire: The Films of Youssef Chahine at BFI and Ciné Lumière
In cultural partnership with the BFI