Counting the years Tonight at 12.00, Dream 2 Channel is screening Shadi Abdel-Salam's landmark Al-Mummiya (The Night of Counting the Years, 1969). Seen by many as one of the best Egyptian films ever made, "The Night of Counting the Years" depicts the smuggling of Pharaonic monuments from Upper Egypt during the first half of the century. The cinematography of Abdel-Aziz Fahmi and Abdel-Salam's seamless sense of composition, colour and rhythm, as well as the understated acting style he empoys -- except for Nadia Lutfi, the cast includes no stars, with the lead roles played by Ahmed Marii and Mohamed Khairi -- all make this film Egypt's art classic par excellence. The film's author director was preoccupied with the origins of Egyptian civilisation and identity, leaning towards Pharaonic rather than Islamic heritage. Before directing, Abdel-Salam created costumes and sets, serving as art director and consultant to big-budget historical epics like Joseph Mankiewicz's Cleopatra (1963), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison, as well as the Polish epic Faraon (Pharaoh, 1966) directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz. The biggest night As part of Cairo Opera House's exuberant Ramadan programme, the Cairo Opera Ballet company is presenting two shows with an Egyptisn theme, "The Big Night" and "An Egyptian Night". Directed by Abdel-Moneim Kamel, they are to be staged at the main hall at 9.30 pm, 23-26 Oct. The first, well-known in its original form as a puppet play, incorporates not only ballet but panoramic views of moulids, zikr ceremonies and street performance -- Kamel has literally and metaphorically released the puppets, letting them dance, act and sing unattached. The second is made up of six folklore dances representing traditional costumes from various parts of the country. The performances were hugely successful in previous years, drawing in audiences of up 100 thousand, many of whom were children. Established in 1966, this season the Cairo opera Ballet, now supervised by artist Armenia Kamel, celebrates its 40 anniversary. ASS to complete Massaker (Massacre, 2005), a Swiss documentary written and directed by Monika Borgmann, Lokman Slim and Hermann Theissen, generated much controversy on its recent screening in Ramallah. The film interviews six of the perpetrators of the Sabra and Shatila massacre (16-18 September 1982), which was orchestrated by the Israeli Ministry of Defence -- then headed by Ariel Sharon -- and executed by the Christian Lebanese militia on the pretext of avenging the death of Beshir Gemayel, and culminated in the death of thousands of mostly children, women and old people among the Palestinian refugees of both camps. Throughout the 100 minutes of the documentary, those who commit the massacre speak coolly and unscrupulously about their past actions, a kind of indifference that provoked an emotional response from a Palestinian audience reminded of the crimes committed against its people. The film caused such a sensation because the audience were shocked to know that the perpetrators were free, and they never were tried for their crimes. Writer Maysar Abu Ali, poet Mahmoud Abu Hashhash, and director Nahed Awad regarded the film as cruel and intense for Palestinian audience. The screening at Al-Qasaba theatre in Ramallah was part of the Women's Film Festival in Palestine organised by director Aliaa Arsaghli.
