The Night of Counting the YearsCert-TBC

Directed by Shadi Abdel Salam | Egypt | 1969 | 1h 42m | Arabic w/ English subtitles | Starring Ahmed Marei, Ahmad Hegazi, Nadia Lutfi, Ahmad Anan

In Egypt, a year before the start of British colonial rule in 1882, precious objects from the Tanite dynasty begin appearing on the black market. Two brothers are made aware that the Horabat tribe have been secretly raiding the tombs of the Pharaohs in Thebes and are left with a decision to make when archaeologists arrive to investigate. Based on a true story, this absorbing drama is often regarded as one of the greatest Egyptian films ever made. Restored by the World Cinema Foundation at the Cineteca di Bologna.

This screening will be preceded by a short talk by Professor Walter Armbrust (Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford) and a live musical performance by Oud player Tarik Beshir (Oxford Maqam). Professor Walter Armbrust’s talk briefly contextualises The Night of Counting the Years both within the nationalised Egyptian cinema of the Nasser era, and as a decolonial work that makes an intriguing contrast with European and American imaginings of Egyptian Pharaonic heritage.

Running order:
15:00 Doors open
15:30 Speaker intro – Professor Walter Armbrust
15:40 Oud performance – Tarik Beshir
16:00 The Night of Counting the Years screening begins

Supported by TORCH as part of the Humanties Cultural Programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Night of Counting the Years between November 27, 2022 and November 27, 2022.

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What else is on?

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20:30

Oxford Int. Film Festival 2023 15
The Oxford International Film Festival returns to the UPP for another programme of short films made by filmmakers from all around the world. One-off screening with intros and Q&As.

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Saturday 9th December

15:45

Tótem 12A
1h 35m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés’ touching drama, following her acclaimed debut The Chambermaid, unfolds as an emotional portrayal of family upheavals told through the eyes of a child.

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18:00

Saltburn 15
2h 11m
Barry Keoghan, Rosamund Pike, and Richard E Grant star in Oscar-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell’s (Promising Young Woman) wicked comedic satire of privilege, desire, and the UK class system.

Book here

20:45

The Eternal Daughter 12A
1h 36m
An artist (Tilda Swinton) and her mother (Tilda Swinton) return to their former family home which is now a haunted hotel in Joanna Hogg's (The Souvenir) suspenseful and chilling Gothic ghost story.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road. We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!