Jerzy Kawalerowicz’s dazzling epic, an adaptation of Bolesław Prus' renowned novel, revolves around a lethal power struggle in ancient Egypt. As the youthful Ramses XIII ascends the throne, he clashes with powerful priests who seek to undermine his ambition to become the greatest Pharaoh in history.
Resplendent with huge battle scenes, towering sets, stunningly choreographed sequences and spectacular design and cinematography, Pharaoh authentically evokes a world characterised by rigid hierarchy, mysterious ritual and often brutal conflict. This mesmerising film is anchored in ideas as well as spectacle – exposing a society distorted by fear, betrayal and hypocrisy.
“I loved Kawalerowicz’s films,and in particular Pharaoh, which had a fresh approach to the historical picture” - Martin Scorsese
“It's a stunning film, an ancient fable that's as austere as any Hollywood treatment of Egypt is ornate, and yet packed with detail and action that makes it utterly convincing” - Glenn Kenny
1967 Academy Award / Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film 1966 Cannes Film Festival / Official Competition
Extras
Pharaoh (Faraon), 1966, presented from a 2K restoration by WFDiF, Poland, supervised by the film’s cinematographer Jerzy Wójcik.
Faraon – Afterword: an expansive and in-depth discussion of the film by critic, curator and scholar Michał Oleszczyk.
Kawalerowicz in the Desert: a 1964 newsreel excerpt on the making of Pharaoh, filmed on location in Uzbekistan.
Trailer.
24-page booklet with new writing by film historian and producer Michael Brooke.
