This big-budget historical epic from acclaimed Egyptian director Youssef Chahine features a crazed turn by Patrice Chereau as Napoleon Bonaparte. The film, an Egyptian-French co-production, deals with Napoleon's occupation of Alexandria and its effect on a typical Egyptian family. Michel Piccoli leads the cast as a general in Napoleon's army who tentatively befriends a local poet.

Mohsen Mohey ElDein
as ALI

Ahmed Abdelaziz
as Bakr

Gamil Ratib
as Barthélémy

Michel Piccoli
as Caffarelli

Patrice Chéreau
as Napoléon Bonaparte

Abla Kamel
as La femme de Bakr

Mohsena Tawfiq
as La Mère

Seif Abdelrahman
as Kourayem

Christian Patey
as Horace

Hassan Hussein
as Le père