A Message to the Governor

Risālah 'ilā al-Wālī (Arabic: رسالة إلى الوالي, lit. 'A Message to the Governor') is a 1998 Egyptian comedy-fantasy film directed by Nader Galal and starring Adel Emam and Yousra. The story moves between the early 19th century and contemporary Cairo. In 1807, as British forces threaten the port town of Rashid (Rosetta), local notables select Harfoush (Adel Emam) to carry a plea for reinforcements to Egypt's wali, Muhammad Ali Pasha. On his way to Cairo, Harfoush encounters a sage who transports him two centuries forward to 1998. As a consequence, he navigates modern Cairo while trying to complete his original mission. The film was the subject of a plagiarism dispute after novelist Nabil Farouk alleged similarities with his booklet "Al-Muhimma" (The Mission) from the Cocktail 2000 series. Contemporary press reported litigation against screenwriter Bassam Ismail.