Kadhim

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebothareprospectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexpedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerbrotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughbrave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts-andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodespiteheryouthisversedintheu搜索引擎优化fhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelpingtheprince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag-butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hopingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingpowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialpriesthoodandalsotherespectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,supportAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone-eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoapotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-experiencedJoabregardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershipthekingdomwouldsoonfallapart.WhentheprophetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconspiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestopassthatpreparationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSpringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamped,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiveprocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandthepeopleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.ThepeoplepromptlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost-forthetimebeing.Humblyheplaceshislifeinhisbrother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisbrotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedployonbehalfofhisbrothertoreclaimthethrone-Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhispoliticalpositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownpower.HehashisbrotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstopresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordappearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom-inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgyptislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitspowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughterofthepharaoh.TheEgyptianprincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforpoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhepreservespeaceforhispeople,andcreatesgreatprosperity.ByallowingthewomentocontinuepracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththepriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofapproval.OneofthemostimportanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTempletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemplesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HeplacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscompleted.Theexpensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenbroughtfromfar-offlands,andthepeopleofIsraelhavepaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomplaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTempleinatriumphantprocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredpossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeoplestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytocelebratethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandbringsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongthepeopleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemplemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,captivatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeeplyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobedeprivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththepassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,skepticaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtorepresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadoptanykindofsteadypolicy,especiallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathofthepriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamappealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghispeople,asimplefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:"Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme."Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfspeakstoSolomonandannouncesthepunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollapseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththepeopleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcompanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversinceaprophetpredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings-hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,andprovokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoparts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Theprophecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.

JeanMonierisadisillusionedlawyer,appointedtodefendNicolasMilik,amanaccusedofmurderinghiswife.Whileeverythingpointstohisguilt,Moniertakesupthecase,convincedofhisinnocence.Ashisinvestigationskepthimbacktothenightofthemurderandthefamilydynamics,healsogetsclosertohisclient,addingtothepressuretodefendhim.Whatissuchan...

Victor,anunemployedfilmdirector,hiswifejustdiedandlefthima9-year-oldson.Thedifficultiesdepressedhimsomuchandhebecameadrunk.ThealcoholismwastheonlywaytoallowhimtoescapeintotheLaLaLand,thedrunkenillusionshadbecomesorealthatheevolvedintoagreatdreamer,tellingwonderfulstoriestohisson.Hisdrunkennessalsomadehimawould-bedirectorwhothoughthehimselfactuallydirectedthosefantasticstorieshetoldhisson.

Thestorybeginsin1996whenColonelSodhi,now70 - visitshissisterandherfamily.However,evenafteroverhalfacentury,thenightmaresofhisintensebattleanditsaftermathoftenreturntohaunthim.OldSodhiandyoungAmarbegintobondandSodhiaccompaniesAmartoBurma(Myanmar)foranassignmentfromBBCtoshootadocumentaryonthestudentsagainsttheMilitaryJuntaforfreedomanddemocracy.InSingapore,SodhivisitstheplaceswhichbringbackthememoriesofhimasaLieutenantintheBritishIndianArmyLt.SodhimeetsabeautifulphotographerMayawhoinspireshimtochange.SodhifallsinlovewithMayawhojoinstheIndianNationalArmy.OldSodhilandsinBurmawithAmar,andiswelcomedbyanIndiangirlRani.TheyaccidentallygetcaughtinthestudentprotestandfiringbytheMilitaryJuntatosuppressthestudentagitation.WhenthesoldiersoftheMilitaryJuntagetroughandviolentwithAmarandRani,oldSodhiissuddenlytransformedintotheyoungLt.SodhiandkillsthetwoBurmesesoldierstodefendhisgroup.OldSodhiandhisgroup’sescapefromtheBurmesesoldiersrunsparalleltotheattackbytheBritishbombersonLt.Sodhi’sunit.In1944 - theIndianNationalArmy,tired,hungry,cold,feverish,sickhadreachedImphaltodefenditagainstalltheoddspiledheavilyagainstthem.InaschoolsetupbyRani’sgrandmother,OldSodhifindsthephotographofMayaandrealizesthatMayahasbeendead.OldSodhi,finallyredeemshimselfbyhelpinghisyounggroupsafelycrossoverfromBurmaintoIndia,andkeephispromisetoMayathathewouldonedayreturntoBurmatofindherandbewithherwhenhisbodyisblownbytheBurmesesoldierstoashesandglory.

Followsanangryconvictseekingvengeanceagainsthisformergirlfriendwhobetrayedhim.

Aploverchickhasnotlearnedtoflywhenhisfamilymigratesinthefall.Hemustsurvivethearcticwinter,viciousenemiesandhimselfinordertobereunitedwithhisbelovedonenextspring.

MartinGonzalezisalowerclassboywhodiscoverstheworldofdrugtraffickinginthewaytoupwardmobilityfundamentallytowintheloveofSophia,agoodgirl,aprioriunattainable,whichishislovesincechildhood.Hisboldness,unconsciousnessandyouthleadhimtobecomeactiveandvitalpartofthedangerousCartelNortedelValle,acriminalorganizationthatdefinesitselfasabloodthirstyandpowerfuldevicethatovercametheCaliCartelincunningmilitarypowerofcorruptionandeconomicstrength.Severalyearsofdrugandappropriate(bad)friendshelpedMartintomoveupthesyndicate,andfinallygettingtheattentionofSofiaandwinherlove.

Anunder-appreciated,overworkedassistantentrustedwithamilliondollarnecklaceracestofindoutwhichofhisfriendsbetrayedhim,ashebattlesadesperatecriminalduobentonstealingthenecklace.Reminiscentofaclassic,yetmodern'Hitchockian'thriller,withmultipleplottwistsandturns,audienceswillbegluedtothescreentryingtofigureoutwhoisGuilty.....

TheoyearnstoexpresshistruefeelingstoclassmateLinus.Itseemsthereisnobodyaroundhimtounderstandhispredicament.Thatis,untilMr.Kruger,seenbymostasmerelyanoddoldteacher,appearstobetheonewhounderstandsTheo.

Bullmysteriouslyreturnshomeaftera10yearabsencetoseekrevengeonthosewhodoublecrossedhimallthoseyearsago.