▁based ▁on ▁a ▁novel ▁with ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁written ▁by ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁novel ist ▁I hs an ▁Ab del ▁Q ud d ous . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁co - written ▁by ▁El ▁Say ed ▁B ede ir ▁and ▁the ▁Nobel ▁Prize - win ning ▁writer ▁N agu ib ▁Mah f ou z . ▁It ▁star red ▁F aten ▁Ham ama ▁and ▁Ah med ▁Maz har . ▁The ▁film ▁received ▁an ▁award ▁from ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁Catholic ▁Center ▁for ▁Cinema ▁and ▁was ▁selected ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 5 0 ▁films ▁in ▁Egypt ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁▁ ▁F aten ▁Ham ama ▁plays ▁F ay za , ▁a ▁young ▁student ▁who ▁lives ▁with ▁her ▁family ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁her ▁father . ▁Left ▁with ▁no ▁money , ▁her ▁mother ▁( Z ou z ou ▁M ady ) ▁is ▁forced ▁to ▁turn ▁her ▁house ▁into ▁an ▁illegal ▁g amb ling ▁house . ▁F ay za ▁oppos es ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁solution . ▁Mun ir ▁( Ah med ▁Maz har ) ▁is ▁a ▁writer ▁who ▁meets ▁F ay za ▁and ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her ▁but ▁she ▁reject s ▁him . ▁F ay za ▁dec ides ▁to ▁leave ▁to ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁where ▁she ▁works ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁in ▁a ▁small ▁school . ▁F ay za ▁gets ▁into ▁trouble ▁in ▁the ▁school ▁and , ▁des perate ▁and ▁hop eless , ▁dec ides ▁to ▁walk ▁in ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁path . ▁Mun ir ▁convin ces ▁F