Egyptian critics consistently list it as one of the most important Egyptian films ever made.
Its slow pace, unusual camera angles and striking colours give the film a dreamlike quality, reinforced by Mario Nascimbene's eerie music.
The dialogue is entirely in classical Arabic, a very unusual trait for an Egyptian film, which adds to the sense of unreality.
The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 43rd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
This movie has been Ranked among the top 100 movies in the history of Egyptian cinema.