The Nightingale’s Prayer is a true timeless masterpiece. For me, Faten Hamama’s performance is absolutely beyond comparison. In the film, she softly narrates each flashback and essential scene as her character Amna, a country girl from Upper Egypt brought into the city to work following the passing of her father. After the traumatic death of her sister, we watch the quickly-maturing Amna in her room, sitting by the window, listening to the sound of the nightingale’s call while waiting for The Engineer (Ahmed Mazhar), the man who ruined her life, to arrive. As the events unfold, Amna’s hatred and desire for revenge transforms into a forbidden love. Not only is the script well-written, but each frame of the film is a work of art. Director Henry Barakat’s signature film takes you on an emotional journey, begging the question: what is the extent that love can forgive? — YOUSSRA EL-SHARKAWY