Rekha & Muzaffar Ali’s ‘Umrao Jaan’ to screen at S Arabia’s Red Sea film fest

Los Angeles, Oct 21 (UNI) Indian filmmaker Muzaffar Ali’s timeless 1981 masterpiece ‘Umrao Jaan’ is set to be screened internationally for the first time at the upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.

The film will feature in the festival’s Treasures strand, which celebrates six restored classics from around the world, as reported by Variety.

Starring legendary actress Rekha in her National Film Award-winning role as the 19th-century Lucknow courtesan and poetess, Umrao Jaan has been meticulously restored by the National Film Development Corporation-National Film Archive of India under the National Film Heritage Mission.

Joining Umrao Jaan in the Treasures lineup are several cinematic landmarks, including Alfred Hitchcock’s 1944 psychological thriller ‘Spellbound’ — starring Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck — which marks the festival’s first presentation from Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation, devoted to preserving world cinema.

Also featured is Luc Besson’s cult 1988 diving drama ‘The Big Blue’, which will make its big-screen debut in Saudi Arabia.

Adding a nostalgic touch, British silent film accompanist Neil Brand will perform live scores for three silent slapstick classics by Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Laurel and Hardy.

The strand will also highlight two restored Egyptian gems by director Ahmed Badrakhan, ‘Aida’ (1942) and ‘Song of Hope’ (1937), both featuring the iconic singer and actress Umm Kulthum — widely regarded as the greatest voice of the Arab world.

These films have been restored in 4K by the Red Sea Film Foundation in collaboration with Egypt’s Media City.

“This year’s Treasures lineup spotlights true legends of film, showcasing moments and performances that are immortalized in the cinematic canon, brought back to life for local and international audiences,” said Red Sea Film Foundation CEO Faisal Baltyuor in a statement to Variety.

“All of the titles selected broke new ground with their original releases, and it’s a particular privilege to have played a part in the restoration of two of Umm Kulthum’s most memorable performances.”

The fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will run from December 4 to 13 in Jeddah, on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

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