Shadi Abd El Salam's "The Mummy" and the search for Egyptian identity

 

Al-Mummia (The Mummy) or the Night of Counting the Years is the only long feature film directed by the exquisite Shady Abd El Salam. It was produced in 1969 with a plot set in 1881, one significant year before the Anglo-Egyptian war. The photography is done by Abd El Aziz Fahmy and the music score is by Mario Nascimbene. This movie was selected to be the Egyptian entry for the Academy Awards foreign film nominations, but was sadly overlooked. The movie may be critically acclaimed in Egyptian Cinema but it did not connect with a lot of audience, even in Egypt. This is NOT going to be one of those spoiler-free reviews. Watch the movie right now if you haven't. You have been warned.

The simple detailed plot 

The movie starts with the Cairene archaeologists discussing the surfacing of some antiquities (specifically a Book of the Dead papyrus) belonging to the never discovered tombs of the 21st dynasty on the black market. This has led the archaeologists to believe that someone in Luxor knows where the respective tombs are. Ahmed Kamal (Mohamed Khairi) volunteers to lead the antiquities service's expedition to uncover this secret in Luxor. Kamal sets out to go there right away during the summer season, a season when the ministry's officials are normally inactive, in order to take the smugglers by surprise.

In Luxor, at the Mountain of the Dead, we witness the burial/funeral of the leader of the Hurabat tribe. This is where we get to meet our main character, Wannis (Ahmed Marei) and his brother (Ahmed Hegazi) mourning their father. After the procession, the tribe elders reveal the secret legacy of their tribe to the sons of Selim, a legacy built on exploiting a hidden stash of ancient Egyptian mummies. The sons visit The Royal Cache and watch their elders rip off a golden eye artefact from one of the mummies. Wannis runs away in fear. The Brother debtaes the unethical business with his elders in a losing argument. The elders still decide to take the pillaged artefacts to Ayyub, their city tradesman. The Brother decides to flee the mountain and offers to take Wannis with him, who pointedly refuses. The elders then kill the Brother before he can run away throwing him into the Nile. 

Wannis goes on to see a mysterious woman, Zeina (Nadia Lutfi) arriving in time with the "afandeya" from the ministry.  Murad (Mohamed Nabih), Ayyub's apprentice is approached by the cousins and refuses to fulfil the trade out of fear of the sudden arrival of the officials. He introduces Zeina as a shop owner seeking to serve the "afandeya". Murad tries to befriend Wannis with hidden intentions leaving Wannis to observe the city people in silence. Wannis then heads to the Ramesseum (Ramssess II's funerary temple) where he meets a Stranger from the valley who invites him to work alongside him for the city people. The stranger schedules to re-meet Wannis after he refuses. Wannis returns to observe Ahmed Kamal only to run away after getting spotted. He finds Zeina and follows her into what turns out to be Murad's house. There, Wannis finds his cousins who offer to carry out the same trade away from the elders. Murad offers to give Zeina to Wannis should he hand him the artefacts instead of giving them to Ayyub. Wannis insults his cousins and leaves. The cousins, who have been watching Wannis, beat up the Stranger.

Ayyub (Shafik Nour el Din) finally arrives per the monthly appointment. The elders send an envoy with the Golden eye. Wannis then confronts Ayyub trying to break off the tribe's deal. Wannis snatches the golden eye away and is knocked out by Ayyub's men. Wounded, Wannis finally finds out the wounded stranger at the temple who is now terrified of him. Reluctantly, the Stranger tells Wannis what the city people's business really is but disappears without a trace.

Wannis goes back to his father's grave where Murad follows him and tells him of the assassination of his brother. Murad tries to convince Wannis to join his side in one last attempt. Wannis heads out to the city people's ship instead while fighting off Murad. Their scuffle alerts the city people, but Ahmed Kamal orders to hold fire and let Wannis approach. Reluctant, Wannis finally entrusts Ahmed Kamal with the secret, cutting off the tribe's source of income. 

The Antiquities services has now successfully carried out their mission with much more findings than anticipated. The Royal Cashe is revealed to be a secret stash where the priests of Amun moved the bodies of their New Kingdom kings to protect them from the Valley's pillage. The city people transfer the stash's contents in the dark. The Hurabat elders witness them alongside Murad who has told on Wannis. The Uncle issues an attack only to be revoked by the cousins and Murad flees in fear. The whole tribe watches the ship leave unannounced with all their riches while Wannis is left to wander alone in fear and shame. 

Wannis looking down upon his father's grave

Brief analysis

What's in a name?

"May you be obeyed, Lord of light. You who inhabits the heart of the Great house. Oh Prince of night and darkness. I have come to you, a pure soul. So, grant me a tongue I may speak with in your presence and return my heart quickly. On the day the clouds thicken and the darkness ensues, grant me my name in the Great house return it (my name) to my memory on the day of counting the years."

This chapter from the Book of the Dead is orated as the opening scene in the movie and used as the exposition. It is important here to understand how important the name or "Ren" is to the Ancient Egyptian. The name is an inherent aspect of the identity and, within the context of the movie, is its equivalent. Following that logic, it is no wonder that the unnamed Brother is killed unceremoniously and the unnamed Stranger disappears into oblivion. 

"I do not know a name for you.", is how the Mother scolds the Brother right before he is killed. 

The new generation's distrust of the old

The sons' obvious distrust of their elders (even before knowing their secret) is brilliantly demonstrated. For example, when climbing up the mountain, the Brother constantly refuses the elder's help; he gets himself up and then offers to help Wannis. In this distrust, grows their camaraderie; even the cousins, with their derogatory moral compass, utter Wannis's same words by the end of the movie. 

Respecting traditions vs. morality

The unethical nature of the tribes' business is evident from the first glance but the respect deeply rooted in the youth for elders refuses them from fighting back. The Brother chooses to flee instead of going against them although he has every right to. 

The dead vs. the living

"Those you call dead are only dust or wood from thousands of years ago. No one knows their fathers or children."

The elders do not want to leave their legacy to the city people "afandeya". They rob the dead to feed the living and ensure the continuity of their tribe and therefore, have no moral repercussions whatsoever. 

Rebellion vs. conformation and what lies in between

"He'll be back, driven by hunger and loneliness."

Wannis keeps going back and forth between the temple and his father's grave, signifying his great doubt and uncertainty. It is a heavy burden for he is the new leader of his tribe. The cousins who now utter "Is this our living?" in Wannis's and the Brother's words. 

Dreams of the City

Zeina arrives in time with the City people symbolizing a close tie between her representation as the desires/ dreams and modernization. The City with its riches has managed to place a monopoly, even on dreams. 

Exploitation of the Youth

As a symbol for youth, almost every entity in the movie tries to exploit Wannis. This is made clear in Murad's words "You're young and strong; (and) you can climb the mountain faster than your Uncle and faster than Ayyub. Take me with you." 

The Egyptian identity amidst it all

When Wannis first runs away, he is distraught to find he only ends up in front of his father's grave marker. This symbolic of the Egyptian identity and the many turbulences it faces up to the very present day. Egyptians today carry the burdens incurred by their previous generations' choices alongside the glory of their distant ancestors in great confusion.

The city of Luxor is constantly referred to as Thebes, its Ancient Egyptian Capital name rather than its modern city naming laying emphasis on this fading historical identity in the face of modernization. 

The defiled sarcophagus

Some great bits

As someone who is familiar with Abd El Salam's art, I know that he does not place haphazard details for the mere reasons of messing with his audience. Abd El Salam has managed to achieve a nearly perfect balance between symbolism and realism. We see Wannis symbolizing the Egyptian identity with his own inner turmoil and we feel his rage, disappointment, loneliness and loss. This fleshing out is contrasted by Zeina, who does not utter a word the entire movie to further isolate her as a symbol, merely the vague desires and dreams of the youth. 

The camera work is also mesmerizing: the long spanning shots of the mountains and desert landscape are constantly contrasted by the even longer brooding close-ups of the actors. One brilliant shot shows Wannis trapped between two walls walking up and down a narrow path while contemplating his misfortune and you can almost sense the claustrophobic heaviness of his thoughts.

A timeless message, at a disconnect

The movie chooses to use formal Arabic, a very unusual trend in Egyptian film, as its dialogue language. While this does well to deliver the message of the film and enhance its tone, it is enough to put a public Egyptian audience off. The movie is a bit too slow paced and is one of those movies that require a very active viewing. It's absorbance and long spanning shots can get boring or too self-indulgent at times. It is a very Philosophical movie with a taste for great aesthetic that the technologies of the time may have not fully allowed. However, it still has the promise of a most rewarding experience should the audience give it active attention.

Wannis's first encounter with Kamal Afandi

Conclusion

"Is it worth it to preserve history? And to whom are we preserving it?" may be the central questions the movie tries to pose, especially considering its time of release when the Egyptian Antiquities Trade was sadly becoming popular. But the movie does not stop here, it delves deep into the Egyptian identity and psyche. It shows us the complexities and isolation brought about by leadership while tiptoeing on the grey scales of the truth and what is right. Like Wannis, most Egyptians barely have any knowledge about the true legacy of their ancient ancestors, but may hold them in reverence anyways. The turmoil we face today as modern citizens makes these distant ancestors remain a looming majestic figure we can never provide an empty vessel for.