'The Message' was released in 1976 and was greeted by a virtual blanket ban on the Arabic language version at cinemas across the Middle East. Here we see Moustapha Akkad, centre, with actors Abdallah Gheith, left, and Anthony Quinn, right. Front Row
Moustapha faced religious objections, funding problems, and had to relocate the entire production and its two – English and Arabic – casts from Morocco to Libya six months from completion after pressure from religious groups forced the Moroccan government to shut down the shoot.
As is so often the case when pressure groups call for art to be banned, many of those critical of 'The Message' had not even seen the film. Pictured: Moustapha Akkad and Anthony Quinn play chess on the set of The Message in 1976. Alamy Stock Photo
The film tells the story of the life of Prophet Mohammed through peripheral characters who followed Him – but He is never depicted. Pictured: Anthony Quinn Tarik Film Distributors
Moustapha “was trying to preach a message of love and peace, and yet he faced such opposition and controversy”, the director’s son says. Pictured: Moustapha Akkad with son Malek on set in Libya
Akkad’s son Malek has painstakingly restored the movie in super-high resolution 4K format and, finally, won the film the Mena-wide cinema release it could not achieve in 1976.
“We’ve had to resubmit the film in almost every country and put it through the censorship process all over again,” Akkad said. Pictured: Mustapha Akkad on set
Despite the cinema ban, audiences across the region acquired bootleg video cassettes and DVDs, and it is now a firm favourite on regional television schedules. Pictured: Mustapha Akkad speaking to actors on set
Audiences clearly love the film, and Akkad insists that his father was simply trying to spread a positive message, and widen global understanding of Islam. Pictured: Mustapha Akkad on set
It wasn’t just Islam that Moustapha Akkad hoped to bring to screens, but the entire region. Pictured: Mustapha Akkad on set
“I’m going to try and visit as many of the countries where it’s screening as I can. I can’t describe how proud I am, and I know my father would be, too,” says Malek. Pictured: a young Malek Akkad with Anthony Quinn
