The night of arresting Fatma..

"A right that is demanded is never lost". These were the last words Fatma said that ended the movie with Khairat's music in the background… this scene just took me inside it to the extent that I kept crying with her as if I'm in her place..

"Leilet al quabd ala Fatma" is an Egyptian movie; produced by Tara Film in 1984, directed by Henry Barakat, casting Faten Hamama as Fatma, Shoukry Sarhan as Sayed, and Salah Qabil as Galal. It's taken from a story by Skina Fo'aad, the scenario is written by Abdel Rahman Fahmy, and the music by Omar Khairat.

The story of the movie is about Fatma the elder sister whom her mother died leaving behind two young toddlers; Galal and Nefisa, Fatma's brother and sister and she takes the responsibility of raising them.

Sayed, Fatma's fiancé keeps asking her hand for marriage and to travel with him abroad for work, but she refuses and stays here to take care of her brother and sister. When he comes back he repeats his offer to marry her and she accepts, but he gets into the prison because of the claims of having drugs.

Fatma on the roof telling the story

On the other side, Galal; Fatma's brother, leaves school and finds his own way to make money and achieve his false heroic stories, until he goes into the game of politics and represent his town in the people's assembly.

When Sayed gets out of prison to marry Fatma, Galal threats him by prison again if he marries his elder sister. So, Fatma keeps telling people in their town about his frauds, and the illegal way he took to reach his political position.

Galal claims that Fatma is crazy and sends people to arrest her and put her in a mad house, but she knows his plan. So she stands on the roof and threats them by throwing herself from the roof. People gather, and then she starts telling Galal's true story.

The movie is a normal story of a devoted sister and an ungrateful brother, but it has a very deep political reflection. It describes Egypt in the era of 1952's revolution, 1956's war and the changes that happened after the British left the country, the politicians that came out of the blue without knowing their right backgrounds.

Fatma represents Egypt, Galal is the fraud who made use of the war to his favor, Sayed is the typical citizen who keeps working to achieve a good life but this life he wished for never happened because of the problems he goes through.

Fatma and her brother Galal

The movie defends the idea of keep calling for the right thing, and demanding rights despite the injustice that may happen; today you're a loser, tomorrow you're victorious. Just keep seeking the truth… always!

The whole movie is a flashback except for the parts of Fatma's narration. There is a really good use of lighting parallel to the flow of the story. At the beginning of Fatma's narration on the roof; it's still dark before she uncovers the truth, then by the end of her narration and everyone now knows the fact about her brother, it's about midday, when daylight is in its extreme.
The truth came out gradually with the daylight.

The music of the movie is composed by Omar Khairat. The music is the most amazing thing about the movie, as it really describes the feeling of the movie; injustice, ungratefulness, love, all these conflicts are felt in the soundtrack. This soundtrack also made a huge success then when the movie came into cinemas. 

I think this is one of the most amazing movies ever! I must say that Shoukry Sarhan's performance is great. He really deserves his award for best actor for this role. If someone is interested in classics I'd really recommend this movie for them. It's unique.

Fatma and Sayed in the courthouse after the sentence