Three Thousand Years of Longing explores the power of storytelling and how one engages with it in an intimately crafted, thought-provoking tale.
Storytelling, in all its forms, has endured throughout history and across cultures. Audiences are still enthralled by a great and well-told tale. Fairy tales are still a big part of pop culture, and many stories have been passed down, taken shape, and told through various mediums. From oral storytelling to movies and books, narratives have influenced, empowered, and created empathy among the masses. Three Thousand Years of Longing, directed by George Miller from a script he co-wrote with Augusta Gore, explores the power of storytelling and how one engages with it in an intimately crafted, thought-provoking, and touching tale. The film is simple, but honest and lovingly handled.
Based on “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt, Three Thousand Years of Longing tells the story of Dr. Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton), a narratologist (someone who studies stories) visiting Istanbul for a conference about storytelling throughout the centuries. After accidentally opening a decorative bottle she bought at the market, a Djinn (Idris Elba) appears before her. The Djinn has but one request: Alithea must make three wishes. However, she doesn’t trust that this isn’t all some strange ruse. Having studied stories about Djinn, Alithea is wary that this one is a trickster of some sort. And so the Djinn begins regaling her with stories of his past, going all the way back to his time with the Queen of Sheba (Aamito Lagum) and King Solomon (Nicolas Mouawad).
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Three Thousand Years of Longing is grand and fantastical, but it is also beautiful and intimate. Miller and Gore know how to dissect the experiences of the Djinn and Alithea, the story taking its time to explore their pasts, their feelings, and, in Alithea’s case, the passion and emotion she finds in storytelling. It’s about tapping into one’s deepest desires, figuring out what Alithea wants despite her saying otherwise, and understanding the caution and wariness with which she and the Djinn might approach situations. The film is aware of the power of storytelling and the narrative’s foray into past stories, ones told with a slight twist, is an example of how vivid, everlasting, and powerful they can be. Alithea — and the audience — soaks them in, entranced, wondering how they will end and what moral lessons they will teach. It is through the Djinn that Alithea understands the depths of longing and how their solitude connects them. And it’s through the vivaciousness of Miller’s own storytelling that the various narratives come to life in exquisite, and sometimes haunting and violent, detail.
The flashbacks Miller employs mesh well with the present day setting, with all the stories taking place in Istanbul and spanning across the centuries. There’s a little bit in here for any history buff to enjoy, but the film is also great at including touches of fantasy and supernatural elements when it comes to such well-known stories. The grand scope of the storytelling is what keeps things engaging, with the pacing never slowing down to the extent that the narrative ever becomes dull. But the epic scale of past stories never takes away from the candidness and heartfelt moments between Alithea and the Djinn, who make for an intriguing pair. The film has touches of sadness, emotional depth, great warmth and charm, and thrilling moments that are all driven by the story-within-a-story approach. To that end, it is not unlike One Thousand and One Nights, and there are nods to the Middle Eastern folk tale collection (Alf Layla wa Layla in Arabic) throughout Miller’s film.
Three Thousand Years of Longing is a conversation-heavy movie, driven by the strength of Swinton and Elba’s portrayals. Swinton imbues Alithea with the right amount of awe and skepticism that thaws over the course of the film. Her nuanced expressions convey Alithea’s love of stories and the depth she finds within them, as well as the empathy and desire she feels for the Djinn as the film goes on. Elba, meanwhile, perfectly balances charm and emotional heaviness with a touch of mysterious stoicism. Both actors also have good comedic timing when the time calls for it, and they both play off of each other incredibly well. The supporting actors are also outstanding and, though they don’t have as much dialogue as Elba and Swinton, they do a fantastic job conveying the feelings of their characters in a short amount of time.
Miller’s film is deceptively simple, but there is a tremendous amount of depth and nuance. Viewers will walk away thinking a lot about the film, and a second or third watch is needed to fully absorb the layers within its story. The cinematography by John Seale is gorgeous, and the film’s look strikingly captures the fairy tale-like nature of the film, as well as the fantastical elements that are wrapped up in the historical. Three Thousand Years of Longing is the kind of film one doesn’t instantly forget after watching, and its story should remain with audiences for a long while.
Three Thousand Years of Longing released in theaters August 26. The film is 108 minutes long and is rated R for some sexual content, graphic nudity, and brief violence.
Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.