Underplayed Gems

A Message to the Governor (1998)

A Message to the Governor poster
Original title
رسالة إلى الوالي
Directed by
Nader Galal
Genre
drama film, comedy film, adventure film, fiction film, historical film
Country
Egypt
Runtime
2h 05m
Rating
4.9 of 10 from 14 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

In 1807 a man named Harfoush is chosen to deliver a message to the governor of Egypt. On his journey he is transported to modern day Cairo in 1998 and must find his way while still trying to complete his mission.

whimsicallightheartedtime-travelcomedicadventurousfish-out-of-waterhistorical-fantasy

What happens

Risālah 'ilā al-Wālī (Arabic: رسالة إلى الوالي, lit. 'A Message to the Governor') is a 1998 Egyptian comedy-fantasy film directed by Nader Galal and starring Adel Emam and Yousra. The story moves between the early 19th century and contemporary Cairo. In 1807, as British forces threaten the port town of Rashid (Rosetta), local notables select Harfoush (Adel Emam) to carry a plea for reinforcements to Egypt's wali, Muhammad Ali Pasha. On his way to Cairo, Harfoush encounters a sage who transports him two centuries forward to 1998. As a consequence, he navigates modern Cairo while trying to complete his original mission. The film was the subject of a plagiarism dispute after novelist Nabil Farouk alleged similarities with his booklet "Al-Muhimma" (The Mission) from the Cocktail 2000 series. Contemporary press reported litigation against screenwriter Bassam Ismail. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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