“Three Thousand Years of Longing” (2022) is a fantasy drama film directed by George Miller and stars Tilda Swinton as Alithea Binnie, an academic and narratologist who encounters a Djinn, played by Idris Elba, while attending a conference in Istanbul. Alithea purchases an ancient glass bottle in a bazaar, and upon cleaning it, she unwittingly releases the Djinn who has been imprisoned for centuries.
The Djinn offers Alithea three wishes in exchange for his freedom, but she is skeptical and wary of the potential consequences, being well-versed in the cautionary tales of wish fulfillment from her studies in mythology and storytelling. Instead of making a wish, Alithea engages in conversation with the Djinn, who then shares stories from his thousands of years of existence, recounting his experiences with past masters and the desires that led to their downfalls.
As the Djinn narrates his tales, a bond forms between him and Alithea, with each story revealing deeper emotional and philosophical layers. Alithea’s resistance to wish for her deepest desires is challenged by her growing connection to the Djinn and her understanding of the complexities of human longing.
Eventually, Alithea decides to make a wish that surprises both her and the Djinn, leading to unforeseen consequences. The film delves into themes of love, loss, and the human condition, exploring the intricacies of what it truly means to desire something.
“Three Thousand Years of Longing” was praised for its visual storytelling, performances by Swinton and Elba, and its imaginative narrative. The film offers a unique take on the classic genie-in-a-bottle lore, providing a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant tale that combines elements of fantasy with introspective drama (IMDb; Wikipedia).