Pharaoh

Jerzy Kawalerowicz's dazzling epic 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. With stunningly choreographed sequences and spectacular cinematography, Pharaoh 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. (Second Run)