The Night, which recounts the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from director Mohammad Malas' native Syrian perspective, is a powerful, gorgeous odyssey through memory and time. The dream sequences that open the film are breathtaking and the dialogue is beautiful, like a Qabbani poem. I've never wanted to pick up Arabic again more than I have after watching this film. A groundbreaking relic of Arab cinema, sprawled with excellence in every technical aspect and narrative element. I was lucky enough to have a screening of this presented by none other than Malas himself in Bologna at the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival, who reflected on the timeliness and persistent relevance of his film, even over thirty years after its release. For those interested in the tumultuous history of the Middle East, The Night is an essential and unfortunately overlooked masterpiece that is as gripping as it is rich in detail and imagination.