''Immaculate Conception'' is a

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

film written and directed by British director

Jamil Dehlavi Jamil Dehlavi () (born 1944) is a London-based independent film director and producer of Pakistani-France, French origin. Since he became a filmmaker in the 1970s, his work has been widely screened internationally, notable films including ''Jinna ...

with

James Wilby James Jonathon Wilby (born 20 February 1958) is an English actor. Early life and education Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father. He was educated at Terrington Hall and Sedbergh School, studied for a degree in M ...

Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Critics' Choice A ...

and

Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Her career in the Hindi cinema, Hindi film industry has spanned Shabana Azmi filmography, over 160 films, mostly within independent and neorealist paral ...

playing the lead roles. The film won the Special Jury prize at the Festival of British Cinema,

Dinard Dinard (; , ; Gallo: ''Dinard'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Brittany, northwestern France. Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a holiday destination, and this has resul ...

Plot

Hannah, Jewish-American daughter of a US senator, and her British lover Alistair, working as an environmentalist in Pakistan, desperate for a child, visit the eunuch shrine of Gulab Shah which has a reputation for curing infertility. While Alistair is embroiled in a brief love affair with a Pakistani photographer, Hannah conceives and decides to convert to Islam, coaxing Alistair to do the same, causing a conflict with her family. Meanwhile, the eunuchs from the shrine develop an interest in Hannah's baby, leading to tension from the clash of cultures and religious beliefs.

Cast

as Alistair *

as Hannah *

as Samira *

Zia Mohyeddin Zia Mohyeddin (; 20 June 1931 – 13 February 2023) was a British-Pakistani film actor, producer, director, and television broadcaster who appeared in both Pakistani cinema and television, as well as in British cinema and television throughout ...

as Shehzada *

James Cossins James Cossins (4 December 1933 – 12 February 1997) was an English actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he became widely recognised as the abrupt, bewildered Mr Walt in the ''Fawlty Towers'' episode "The Hotel Inspectors" and as Mr Watson, the fru ...

as Godfrey *

Shreeram Lagoo Dr. Shriram Lagoo (16 November 1927 – 17 December 2019) was an Indian film and theatre actor, in Hindi and Marathi, in addition to being an ENT Surgeon. He was known for his character roles in films. He acted in over 250 films including Hin ...

as Dadaji *

Ronny Jhutti Ronny Jhutti (born Ajay Dhutti, 1973) is a British actor, most notable for his role as Sohail Karim in ''EastEnders'', Danny Bartock in two episodes of ''Doctor Who'' and Naz Omar in '' Vexed''. Early life Ronny was raised in London, where he wa ...

as Kamal * Tim Choate as David Schwartz *

Bill Bailey Mark Robert Bailey (born 13 January 1965), known professionally as Bill Bailey, is an English musician, comedian, actor and television presenter. He is known for his role as Manny in the sitcom '' Black Books'' (2000–2004), and for his regula ...

as American Consul *

Badi Uzzaman Mohammed Badi Uzzaman Azmi (Urdu:بدی الزمان) (8 March 1939 – 14 June 2011), better known as Badi Uzzaman, was a Pakistani-British television and film actor. According to ''The Guardian'', Uzzaman was perhaps best known for his role as a ...

as Dadaji's Retainer

Critical response

Kim Newman reviewing the film in ''Empire Online'' wrote, "despite trying to shoehorn oodles of secondary themes into the brew, the psychological tug-of-war between Islam and Judaism, some nasty imperialist behaviour, and the downbeat ending make this well worth a look, if for no other reason than Western audiences rarely get a chance to see anything vaguely Asian."

References

External links

* British drama films Films set in Pakistan 1992 drama films 1992 films 1990s English-language films 1990s British films {{1990s-UK-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Critical response

See also

References

External links