Hassan and Marcus

Infobox Film
name = Hassan and Marcus


caption = Promotional Poster
director = Ramy Imam
eproducer =
aproducer =
starring = Adel Imam
Omar Sharif
Lebleba
Mohamed Imam
music =
distributor = [http://www.goodnews4films.com/ Good News Group] (In Egypt)
released = 2008
country = Egypt
language = Arabic

"Hassan and Marcus" ( _ar. حسن ومرقص) is an Egyptian film.

Background

Being the first collaboration between Adel Imam and Omar Sharif, arguably the most powerful actors in Egypt and the Middle East, the movie was a much-anticipated summer blockbuster. However, its message proved so controversial that Facebook groups sporting Adel Imam's picture in Coptic garb called for a boycott of his movies, and the resulting emotional distress is reported to have prompted Imam to move from his home in Cairo to a summer house in Port Marina, a resort on Egypt's North Coast. Imam, Sharif and other collaborators on the film have vehemently defended its content and criticised many conservatives and religious extremists who consider it blasphemous.

Plot summary

When the lives of Mustafa, a Muslim Sheikh (Omar Sharif) and Boulus, a Christian Theologian (Adel Imam) are threatened by religious extremists, the Egyptian government inducts them into a witness protection program that requires them to disguise themselves as the Christian Markos and a Muslim sheikh, Hassan al-Attar, respectively. When, unwittingly, they move into the same building, a friendship blossoms that must, along with a romance between the protagonists' children, withstand the difficulties of prejudice and social persecution.

Themes

The film addresses issues of religious extremism, intolerance and sectarian violence, and emphasises the possibility of friendship and love between members of different religions. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7525277.stm "Egyptian film laughs at prejudice"] , Yolande Knell, BBC, July 26, 2008]

Imam said of the film: :"I have declared war using art against the extremists - against those who foment differences between us. I hope Christians and Muslims will leave the cinema and embrace and kiss one another." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7525277.stm "Egyptian film laughs at prejudice"] , Yolande Knell, BBC, July 26, 2008]

External links

* [http://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/content-117733.html]
* [http://www.elaph.com/ElaphWeb/Cinema/2008/6/342280.htm]

References