On his way to dusk prayers at a Parisian mosque, Monsieur Slimani, a devout Muslim, is witness to a brutal murder. Barely escaping with his life, he is chased into the prayer room, where he hides…
Night of Destiny
Running time: N/A
On his way to dusk prayers at a Parisian mosque, Monsieur Slimani, a devout Muslim, is witness to a brutal murder. Barely escaping with his life, he is chased into the prayer room, where he hides among worshippers clad in the same traditional robes. When another witness is murdered, Slimani must decide whether to come forward and risk death or remain silent and live with his conscience. Soon Slimani's son, Alilou, an aspiring journalist, begins to suspect his father's role in the case and takes a dangerous step. The action culminates on the Night of Destiny, the 26th night of Ramadan, which celebrates Mohammed's receipt of God's revelation and transformation into the Prophet. With the murderers closing in, the faithful pray through the night, hoping to witness a bright light in the sky and be granted three wishes. Night of Destiny is both a taut thriller set among the Algerian Arabic community of Paris and a story of an immigrant community facing assimilation. It provides a rare window into the contemporary concerns of an older generation struggling to uphold the traditions and beliefs of their homeland while their sons drink alcohol and daughters refuse the veil. --Meredith H. Sherter