Esther
- IMDb link: 0133742
- IMDb rating: 6 (98 votes)
- Genres: Drama
- Director: Mohammad Bakri, Amos Gitai, Juliano Mer-Khamis
- Cast: Simone Benyamini, Zare Vartanian and others
- Release date: 19 May 1989
- Release year: 1986
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- Country: Austria, Israel, United Kingdom
- Keywords: religion, biblical, 5th century b.c.
Plot:
Ahasverus, king of Persia and Media, puts aside Vashti and makes Esther his queen, choosing her among maidens in a kingdom stretching from India to Ethiopia. Esther, using information from Mordecai, her uncle and patron, saves the king from assassination. Haman, the king's favorite, is miffed when Mordecai won't bow to him, so he orders death to all Jews in the kingdom, under the seal of the king. Esther pleads for her people, and Mordecai is in turn given license to make his own edict under the king's seal. Mordecai loses sight of his original intention, and bloody murder ensues. Purim annually celebrates the story. At the end of the film, the actors comment.