Thartharah fawqa al-Nil
Encyclopedia
Chitchat on the Nile (Adrift on the Nile) is a 1971 film based on the novel by Egyptian
Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz
.
ian society
during the Gamal Abdel Nasser
era.
It tells the story of a simple Egyptian
worker, Anis (played by Emad Hamdi), who cannot tolerate the hypocrisy of the Egyptian government
(for whom he works at the Ministry of Health) and the illiteracy of the Egyptian
public and decides to hide from all the problems in the country by taking up smoking hashish
in a shisha
, a popular smoking habit in Egypt
, to escape from reality.
Anis (who used to work as a teacher) meets with an old student, Ragab (actor Ahmed Ramzy
), by chance. Ragab invites him to the small boat in the Nile
. And Anis discovers soon enough that he isn't the only person who smokes shisha but a bunch of other elite
, middle class
and low class people are all on the boat. He soon discovers that everyone is smoking to forget the reality and hypocrisy of Egyptian life.
, winner of Nobel Peace Prize
, and was taken quickly from the market because the film was seen as a criticism of the Gamal Abdel Nasser
socialism
period, and the oppression of artistic films during Nasser's
time when it was forbidden to make any film unless the rich were clearly portrayed critically while the poor had to be shown sympathetically. Anwar al-Sadat didn't want to upset the Egyptian
people, some of whom still loved and respected Nasser.
Even though the film might seem to be about drug problems it's actually a politically controversial movie. The film was produced in 1971, and was unsuccessful financially due to excessive banning that happened not only in the Middle East
but also in the west (mainly Europe). It only gained acclaim 35
years later. And even though the world is now more open it's still forbidden in many countries especially Arab countries.
It was very carefully made by writer Naguib Mahfouz
and director Hussein Kamal. It's a heartfelt film where everyone is affected by the hypocrisy of Nasser's regime.
The film is now distributed by Founoon and is subtitled in French and English.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers of Arabic literature, along with Tawfiq el-Hakim, to explore themes of existentialism. He published over 50 novels, over 350 short stories, dozens of movie...
.
Plot
The film addresses the decadence of EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
during the Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
era.
It tells the story of a simple Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
worker, Anis (played by Emad Hamdi), who cannot tolerate the hypocrisy of the Egyptian government
Politics of Egypt
The government of Egypt, as of February 27, 2011, is a republic currently under military rule of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces after the President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak stepped down following several days of mass protests. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the...
(for whom he works at the Ministry of Health) and the illiteracy of the Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
public and decides to hide from all the problems in the country by taking up smoking hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
in a shisha
Hookah
A hookah A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) (Hindustani: हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari, (Nastaleeq) huqqah) also known as a waterpipe or narghile, is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument for smoking in which the smoke is cooled by water. The tobacco smoked is referred to...
, a popular smoking habit in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, to escape from reality.
Anis (who used to work as a teacher) meets with an old student, Ragab (actor Ahmed Ramzy
Ahmed Ramzy
Ahmed Ramzy is an Egyptian actor who played the leading roles in many Egyptian films in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.-Early life:Ramzy was born Ramzy Mahmoud Bayoumi in 1930 to an Egyptian orthopedist and university professor father, his mother was a young Scottish lady.Ramzy graduated from...
), by chance. Ragab invites him to the small boat in the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. And Anis discovers soon enough that he isn't the only person who smokes shisha but a bunch of other elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
, middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
and low class people are all on the boat. He soon discovers that everyone is smoking to forget the reality and hypocrisy of Egyptian life.
Political background
The film was released during the era of Anwar Al Sadat the former President of EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, winner of Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
, and was taken quickly from the market because the film was seen as a criticism of the Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
period, and the oppression of artistic films during Nasser's
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
time when it was forbidden to make any film unless the rich were clearly portrayed critically while the poor had to be shown sympathetically. Anwar al-Sadat didn't want to upset the Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
people, some of whom still loved and respected Nasser.
Even though the film might seem to be about drug problems it's actually a politically controversial movie. The film was produced in 1971, and was unsuccessful financially due to excessive banning that happened not only in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
but also in the west (mainly Europe). It only gained acclaim 35
35
Year 35 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallus and Nonianus...
years later. And even though the world is now more open it's still forbidden in many countries especially Arab countries.
It was very carefully made by writer Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers of Arabic literature, along with Tawfiq el-Hakim, to explore themes of existentialism. He published over 50 novels, over 350 short stories, dozens of movie...
and director Hussein Kamal. It's a heartfelt film where everyone is affected by the hypocrisy of Nasser's regime.
The film is now distributed by Founoon and is subtitled in French and English.