The Emigrant
Filled with beautiful location shots of Egyptian ruins and lush re-enactments of decadent cult rituals, Youssef Chahine's The Emigrant is a fascinating retelling of the biblical tale of Joseph, told from an Egyptian perspective. Ram ("Joseph"), tired of his family's backward superstitious life and bullying brothers, wants to travel Egypt to study agriculture. His brothers travel with him across the Sinai but suddenly sell him to an Egyptian who works for a regional military leader, who is impressed by Ram's drive and grants him desolate land outside the capital. Ram soon finds himself a pawn in the political and sexual games between Amihar and his wife Simihit, a high priestess of the Cult of Amun.