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The Sheltering Sky ()

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An American couple travel abroad to revitalize their relationship. But as the trip drags on, their attempt at recovering what they once had seems futile.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 wins & 8 nominations.
  • See more »
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Photos and Videos

63 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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...
Kit
...
Port
...
Tunner
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Mrs Lyle
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Eric Lyle
Eric Vu-An ...
Belqassim
Amina Annabi ...
Mahrnia
Philippe Morier-Genoud ...
Captain Broussard
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Abdelkader (as Sotigui Kouyate)
Tom Novembre ...
French Immigration Officer
Mohamed Ben Smaïl ...
Smail (as Ben Smail)
Kamel Cherif ...
Ticket Seller
Mohammed Afifi ...
Mohamed (as Afifi Mohamed)
Brahim Oubana ...
Young Arab
Carolyn De Fonseca ...
Miss Ferry (as Carolyn de Fonseca)
...
Nun
Rabea Tami ...
Blind Dancer
...
French Woman
Samiri Menouer ...
Bus Driver (as Menouer Samiri)
Keltoum Alaoui ...
Woman in Hotel du Ksar
Mohamed Ixa ...
Caravan Leader
Ahmed Azoum ...
Young Tuareg
Alghabid Kanakan ...
Young Tuareg
Gambo Alkabous ...
Young Tuareg
Sidi Kasko ...
Young Tuareg
Azahra Attayoub ...
Belqassim's Wife
Maghnia Mohamed ...
Belqassim's Wife
Oumou Alghabid ...
Belqassim's Wife
Sidi Alkhadar ...
Little Sidi
...
Narrator
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mouss Zouheyri ...
Bit Part (uncredited)

Directed by

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Bernardo Bertolucci

Written by

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Paul Bowles ... (book)
 
Mark Peploe ... (screenplay) and
Bernardo Bertolucci ... (screenplay)

Produced by

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William Aldrich ... executive producer
Jeremy Thomas ... producer

Music by

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Ryuichi Sakamoto ... (as Ryûichi Sakamoto)

Cinematography by

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Vittorio Storaro ... (cinematography by)

Editing by

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Gabriella Cristiani

Editorial Department

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Roger Cherrill ... post-production
Jocelyn Cousins ... post-production secretary
Andrea Gargano ... restoration/color grading
Oliver Krimpas ... post-production runner
Aldo Manni ... negative cutter
Michael Rubin ... assistant editor: laserdisc
Elvio Sordoni ... assistant editor
Paul Swinburne ... editorial trainee
Federico Umetelli ... editorial trainee
Carlo La Bella ... color supervisor (uncredited)
Nazzareno Neri ... final colorist (uncredited)

Casting By

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Celestia Fox
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by

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Ferdinando Scarfiotti
Gianni Silvestri

Art Direction by

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Andrew Sanders

Costume Design by

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James Acheson

Makeup Department

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Lynda Armstrong ... makeup artist
Paul Engelen ... key makeup artist
Colin Jamison ... chief hair stylist
Barry Richardson ... hair stylist

Production Management

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Zakaria Alaoui ... production manager
Mustapha Nia ... production manager
Denise O'Dell ... production supervisor
Michael Saxton ... post-production supervisor
Stefano Spadoni ... assistant production manager
Lucio Trentini ... production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Abes Abdelkader ... assistant director
Keltoum Alaoui ... third assistant director
Claudio Amati ... third assistant director
Serena Canevari ... first assistant director
Ahmed Hatimi ... first assistant director: Morocco
Fernand Moszkowicz ... second unit director
Nicoletta Peyran ... second assistant director

Art Department

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Carlo Avvisato ... dressing prop
Pasquale Avvisato ... dressing prop
Sante Barelli ... scenic artist
Les Beaver ... rigger: Algeria
Dave Coldham ... plasterer (as David Coldham)
Dean Coldham ... plasterer
Bernard Collins ... carpenter
Bob Devine ... assistant construction manager (as Robert Devine)
Peter Dunn ... plasterer: Algeria
Joe Fox ... carpenter
John Frankish ... art director: Algeria
Boni Fraulo ... property master (as Bonaventura Fraulo)
Geoff Kingsley ... construction manager
Luciano Magagnini ... stand-by prop
Roberto Magagnini ... stand-by prop
Peter Mann ... carpenter / stand-by constructor
Fernand Moszkowicz ... art consultant
Brian Neighbour ... carpenter
Alan Powell ... plasterer: Algeria
John Ralph ... art director: Tangier
Anthony Rhone ... painter
Lucy Richardson ... draughtperson
Philip Robinson ... art department assistant (as Phillip Robinson)
Steve Simmonds ... art director: Quarzazate
Cynthia Sleiter ... set dresser
Adrian Start ... painter
Derek Whorlow ... carpenter
David Williamson ... carpenter
Majid Aoulad Abdellah ... assistant art director (uncredited)
Naomi Critcher ... set dresser: UK (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Don Banks ... boom operator
Paula Connor ... assistant dialogue editor
Alan Corder ... assistant sound editor
Pat Gilbert ... assistant foley editor
Gerry Humphreys ... re-recording mixer
Jack T. Knight ... sound editor (as Jack Knight)
Tony Lenny ... sound editor
Barry McCormick ... assistant sound editor
David Motta ... sound engineer
Rocky Phelan ... foley editor
David Sharpe ... assistant sound editor
Don Sharpe ... supervising sound editor
Ivan Sharrock ... production sound mixer
Paul Smith ... dialogue editor

Special Effects by

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Renato Agostini ... special effects supervisor
Danilo Bollettini ... special effects technician

Visual Effects by

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Martin Body ... rostrum/optical cameraman (uncredited)
Craig Chandler ... optical effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Felipe Alba ... clapper loader
Giuseppe Alberti ... focus puller (as Guiseppe Alberti)
Sergio Ambrosi ... grip
Luigi Bernardini ... focus puller (as Rino Bernardini)
Patrick Bramucci ... electrician (as Patrizio Bramucci)
Alessia Bulgari ... still photographer
Fabio Cafolla ... dimmer operator
Filippo Cafolla ... gaffer
Marco Carosi ... video controller
Renato Cinquini ... grip
Abessamad Dinia ... second assistant camera
Paolo Ferrari ... clapper loader
Giuseppe Gambella ... generator operator
Antonio Gasbarini ... electrician
Alfio Lamoratta ... generator operator
Savino Libertazzi ... electrician
Alfredo Marchetti ... key grip
Stefano Marino ... best boy
Antonio Marra ... best boy
Angelo Novi ... still photographer
Nicola Pecorini ... steadicam operator
Mario Pezzotti ... grip
Les Phipps ... rigger (as Leslie Phipps)
Michele Picciaredda ... camera operator: "b" camera
Kate Robinson ... steadicam operator (as Peter Robinson)
Les Silk ... rigger
Enrico Umetelli ... camera operator: "a" camera
Riccardo Umetelli ... clapper loader

Casting Department

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Robin Lang ... adr casting
Ellen Lewis ... casting associate
Zakia Tahiri ... casting: Paris (as Zakia Tahri)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Martin Adams ... costume prop
Kahlid el Addar ... costume assistant: Morocco
Abdelkrim Akallach ... costume assistant: Morocco
Morris Angel ... costume maker
Rosemary Badminton ... costume maker
Michael Barber ... costume maker
Jane Clive ... costume painter
Shirley Cooper ... costume prop
Naomi Critcher ... costume properties (as Niomi Critcher)
Laura Day ... costume maker
Magot Forster ... costume maker
Frank Gardiner ... assistant costume designer
Carole Hersee ... costume maker
Amina el Kaouassma ... costume assistant: Morocco
Julia Mansford ... costume assistant
Richard Pointing ... costume supervisor
Doris Raymond ... costume researcher
John Birkinshaw ... costume assistant (uncredited)
Helen Christie ... jewellery maker (uncredited)

Location Management

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John Bernard ... location manager: Morocco/Niger
Brahim Derhem ... location manager
Driss Gaidi ... location manager
Philip Kohler ... location manager: Algeria (as Phillip Kohler)

Music Department

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John Altman ... conductor / music arranger
David Arch ... conductor / music arranger
Dina Eaton ... music editor
Zena Hambly ... assistant music supervisor
Richard Horowitz ... composer: North African music
Matt Howe ... music engineer
Steve Maguire ... assistant music editor
Spencer May ... assistant music engineer
Ray Williams ... music supervisor

Script and Continuity Department

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Suzanne Durrenberger ... script supervisor
Fabien Gerard ... assistant script supervisor

Transportation Department

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Pino Coletto ... truck driver
Franco di Vincentzo ... truck driver

Additional Crew

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Karim Abouobayd ... production assistant
Bachir Belhimer ... production accountant
Mohamed Benhmamane ... production assistant
Najib Bennani ... production accountant
Bi Benton ... contact: London
Maurice Binder ... title designer
Sabrina Canale ... production secretary
Harhoura Diab Charifi ... production assistant
Hazel Crombie ... production accountant
James Cullum ... computer and keyboard programmer
Sevilla Delofski ... assistant to producer
Benaissa Djaffar ... production assistant
Fouzia Echaref ... production secretary
Lou Englebert ... researcher
Antonio Etzi ... craft service
Carla Ferroni ... contact: Rome
Marina Grappelli ... assistant accountant: Italy
Hind Hanif ... production coordinator
Alan Hopkins ... period fabrics
Vanessa Hopkins ... period fabrics
Metka Kosak ... assistant: Ms. Winger (as Metka Koshak)
Massimiliano Lancellotti ... production runner
Roberto Malerba ... production assistant
Michele Miriello ... production runner
Laragh O'Dell ... production secretary
Julie Oudot ... secretary to producer
Joel Proust ... supervising wrangler
Laura Rosenthal ... secretary: Juliet Taylor
Norika Sky-Sora ... assistant: Mr. Sakamoto
Ron Swinburne ... financial controller
Mohamed Tahar ... production assistant
Ann Tasker ... unit publicist
Gabriella Toro ... production coordinator
Riccardo Umetelli ... projectionist
Ken Yas ... laserdisc coordinator
Lahcen Zinoun ... choreographer
Augusto Grassi ... dyer (uncredited)
Andrew P. Kirkham ... audio commentary producer [gb] (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

The American artist couple Port and Kit Moresby travels aimless through Africa, searching for new experiences that could give new sense to their relationship. But the flight to distant regions leads both only deeper into despair. Written by Thomas Manhardt

Plot Keywords
Taglines A woman's dangerous and erotic journey... See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Il tè nel deserto (Italy)
  • Un thé au Sahara (France)
  • Himmel über der Wüste (Germany)
  • El cielo protector (Spain)
  • 遮蔽的天空 (China, Mandarin title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 138 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $25,000,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Paul Bowles, author - and thinly disguised subject - of the autobiographical novel on which the film is based, said, "It should never have been filmed. The ending is idiotic and the rest is pretty bad." This quote comes from a rare interview that was part of the film Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles (1998). See more »
Goofs The crew is reflected in the mirror when Kit gets out of bed alone. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Havana/Mermaids/The Sheltering Sky/Awakenings/The Long Walk Home (1990). See more »
Soundtracks Goulov Limma See more »
Quotes [last lines]
Narrator: Because we don't know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more, perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.
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