The Somali Dervish was an epic film directed by Said Salah and Amar Sneh between 1983 and 1985. It is one of the few full-length feature films to have been produced in Somalia.[1]

With a budget of $1.8 million, the 4-hour-and-40-minute epic followed the life of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, leader of the Somali Dervish movement. Seven languages were used for film dialogue: Somali, Arabic, Italian, English, and three regional dialects. The movie included an actual descendant of Mohammed Abdullah Hassan as its star, Sheikh Osman Mohamoud Omar, and featured hundreds of actors and extras.[2] Once thought to be lost, the movie was found in the National Film Archive of India in late 2019.[3]

References

  1. ^ Oscar Harding, The Best African Movies, From All 54 African Countries, Cinema Escapist, 10 February 2019.
  2. ^ Gray, Jerry (15 June 1985). "Exploits of Somalia's national hero becomes basis for movie". Kentucky New Era. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Somalian director finds his lost film reel in Pune's NFAI after 34 years". Hindustan Times. 28 December 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2022.


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