Born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1932, Omar Sharif made his film debut in the 1953 Egyptian film Siraa Fil-Wadi. His subsequent work made him one of Egypt's biggest stars and landed him the life-changing part of Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish in David Lean's Oscar-winning epic Lawrence of Arabia. For his performance opposite Peter O'Toole as T. E. Lawrence's friend, Sharif was received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Three years later he re-teamed with Lean to star in the title role of Dr. Zhivago with Sir Ralph Richardson, Rod Steiger, Julie Christie, Tom Courtenay, Rita Tushingham, Alec Guinness and Geraldine Chaplin. In 1968 he appeared opposite Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl. His 50 year film career includes appearances in more than 70 films. {filmography}

This is Pierre Boulanger's first feature film.

Monsieur Ibrahim is François Dupeyron's first film since La Chambre Des Officiers. Critically acclaimed at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, La Chambre Des Officiers was nominated for three Cesars; Best Director, Best Film and Best Writing—Original or Adaptation. Dupeyron's film C'est Quoi La Vie? won two awards at the 2001 San Sebastian Film Festival including a special prize for its positive reflection on life. Other films by Mr. Dupeyron include Drole d'endroit Pour Une Recontre, Lamento (1988 Cesar winner for Best Short Film Fiction) , La Nuit du Hibou (1985 Cesar winner for Best Short Film Documentary) and L'Ornier. {filmography}

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt was born in 1960 in Lyon. His studies include music and literature. He graduated from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de la rue d’Ulm in 1983 in philosophy. In 1987 he was awarded a doctorate following which he became « maître de conférences » at the University of Chambéry. {filmography}

His first play la nuit de Valognes (Don juan on trial)
opened in 1991 at the Maison de la Culture de Loire Atlantique and was later revived at the Comédie des Champs Elysées in Paris. Productions have taken place in Jeremy Sam’s English adaptation in the United States and Great-Britain, including the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 1995, the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stradford on Avon in 1996 and the Mercury Theater in Colchester (May 1999).

In 1993 le Visiteur (The Visitor) opened at the Petit Théâtre de Paris. The play was awarded three Molières : « Best Play », « Best playwright», « Most promising new work ». This play was to be the first of his successes.

Following the Parisian production and a successful tour, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt decided to become a full-time writer.

In 1994, his first book, la secte des egoistes (The sect of Selfishes), was published by Albin Michel. It came out rapidly in the popular collection « livre de poche ». In 1997, Albin Michel published diderot ou la philosophie de la seduction, his philosophical essay.

Meanwhile, le Visiteur (the Visitor), embarqued on a ever-increasing international career and was successfully produced in prestigious subsidized and private theatres. Productions have taken place in German speaking countries, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, French and English speaking Canada (directed by Daniel Roussel who directed the second Parisian production), Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), Italy, the Netherland, Finland, Roumania, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Turkey and Uruguay.

le Visiteur (the Visitor) became an opera in 2000 at the Théâtre Impérial in Compiègne with music by Stavros Xarhakos

In 1994, the CADO d’Orléans produced golden Joe before its transfer to the Théâtre de la Porte St Martin in Paris.

This production was followed by two consecutive successes in 1996/97 : Variations Enigmatiques (Enigma Variations) at the Théâtre Marigny, starring Alain Delon and Francis Huster (the play reopened in October 1998 at the Théâtre de Paris). The production of le Libertin ( the Libertine) took place at the Théâtre Montparnasse, directed by Bernard Murat and starring Bernard Giraudeau and Christiane Cohendy. The play has been adapted to the screen starring Fanny ARDANT and Vincent PEREZ under the direction of Gabriel AGHION.

Numerous licenses for productions abroad were made during the « sold out » three-months run of Variations Enigmatiques (Enigma Variations) : Germany (since September 1997 : Hamburg, Linz, Essen, etc... and Berlin starring Karl-Maria Brandauer (2003)), Finland, Greece, Turkey, Roumania, Bulgaria, Japan, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavia, Argentina, Brazil, Russia… In all these countries, the play has seduced the best actors as can be seen as in the Los Angeles Mark Taper Forum production (May 1999) starring Donald Sutherland for the first time on stage for a number of years. Revival in Toronto and in London at the Savoy Theater. Over 100 different productions so far…

le Libertin ( the Libertine) enjoys great success in German subsidized theatres as in French speaking Canada, Finland and Roumania., and in Italy touring all over the country (Piccolo Teatro in Milano)

In 1996, Milarepa, the account of a well-known Buddhist monk, was produced in Lausanne, Switzerland by the Théâtre Vidy. The monologue was revived in 1997 at the Festival d’Avignon. The play reopened in Paris in January 1999.

Le nozze di figaro in Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s French adaptation opened at the Opéra de Compiègne in October 1997. This was acclaimed unanimously and a revival took place in January 1999 on tour and in Paris (Casino de Paris). A second tour is foreseen. He is actually working on the French version of don giovanni for the same Opéra de Compiègne foreseen in year 2002.

His next play FREDERICK ou le boulevard du crime (Frederick or the crime boulevard) opened in September 1998 at the Théâtre Marigny with Jean-Paul Belmondo in the main role and has immediately been produced in many countries.

Hôtel des deux mondes (Two world's hotel) opened in Paris (Théâtre Marigny - salle Popesco) in september 1999 and has received 7 nominations for the Molieres Awards 2000 (amoung them : Best playwright, Best play) and his last play monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du coran a monologue, opened in December 1999 and has been revived in July 2001 at the Avignon Festival. A Parisian production and a French tour are foreseen in 2002. A German production opened on September 1st, 2001 in Dinslaken. An English reading of the play took place in New York in October 2001 (The Play Company). The third part of the trilogy last night on earth should see the light during the 2001/2002 season.

ADAPTATIONS :

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt has also adapted the following plays :

sarcophagus by the Russian author Vladimir Goubariev. He translated THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare for the same theatre.
He adapted the American musical comedy nine by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit which opened at the Folies Bergère.