kviff.com
News
Festival Guide
  • Tickets and Festival Pass
  • Accommodations
  • Transportation
  • Festival cinemas
  • No Barriers project
  • Kids at the festival
  • Festival Shop
Program
  • Catalogue of films
  • Accompanying programme
  • Archive of films
  • Audience award
  • KVIFF Talks
  • Film Entry
Film Industry
  • Industry accreditation
  • Film Industry at KVIFF
  • Industry Days Programme
  • KVIFF Eastern Promises
  • KVIFF Talents
Press
  • Press accreditation
  • Press Service
  • For download
  • Press releases
  • Photogallery
  • Videogallery
About the festival
  • Festival description
  • Programme sections
  • Awards
  • History
  • We support non-profits
  • Photogallery
  • Partners
  • Why We Support the Festival
  • Contacts
CZ
Sign in
Film Archive

The Devil of the Desert

Tribute to Youssef Chahine 2019 / Shaytan al-sahraa / Egypt 1954

A sword-and-sandal adventure set in an ancient tribal society about a Zorro-like figure who decides to rebel against the tyrannical ruler of his village. Chahine’s first actioner, featuring another early performance by a young Omar Sharif.

The Devil of the Desert The Devil of the Desert

Synopsis

A sword-and-sandal adventure set in an ancient tribal society about a Zorro-like figure who decides to rebel against the tyrannical ruler of his village. Chahine’s first actioner, featuring another early performance by a young Omar Sharif, was dismissed by the future Lawrence of Arabia star and would mark the end of his brief collaboration with Chahine. Today, this largely unseen film stands as a unique entry in Chahine’s canon and contains many of the hallmarks that would be refined in the director’s subsequent work: grand vistas, striking visuals, the combination of socio-political subtext with sensational entertainment, and the celebration of the human body.

Joseph Fahim

About the film

89 min / Black & white, DCP

Director Youssef Chahine / Screenplay Hussein Helmy El Mohandes / Dir. of Photography Alvise Orfanelly / Music Fouad El Zahery / Editor Marcelle Saleh / Art Director Maher Abdel Nour / Cast Omar Sharif, Mariam Fakhr El Din / Sales Misr International Films

Contacts

Misr International Films
35 Champollion Street, , Cairo
Egypt
Phone: +20 122 2117478
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Marianne Khoury

Other partners
Newsletter

First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.

Follow us on the web:

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
is part of the KVIFF Group family, which covers other projects as well:

© 2025 KVIFF GROUP

Rules for Visitors / Website visitors privacy policy / GTC / Personal Data Protection / Rules for Claim / Rules and Regulations / Contacts