Today in History – ‘Sophie's Choice’ premieres

CAIRO – 8 December 2017: December 8 is the anniversary for the premiere of the critically acclaimed Oscar-winning drama “Sophie’s Choice”, starring Meryl Streep and released in 1982.



Based on the 1979 novel of the same name by William Styron, director Alan J. Pakula casts Streep as the title role of Sophie Zawistowski, a Polish immigrant living with her Jewish lover Nathan Landau (Kevin Kline) in Brooklyn in 1947. The film is narrated by Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a writer from the American south who befriends the couple. He begins to learn more about Sophie’s dark past as the survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, he also learns of Nathan’s obsession with the Holocaust.

Stingo learns that not all is as is seems with the happy couple, as Nathan’s obsession and mental instability threatens to harm their relationship, while secrets from Sophie’s past threaten to bubble to the surface, with Stingo all the more determined to uncover the truth.

Streep was awarded the Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for her performance.