Director:
Jehane Noujain
My rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4/5 stars
Thoughts in 3 words:
- powerful
- intimate
- emotional
Summary:
The documentary follows a group of activists as they protest during the Egypt Revolution. It follows them as they protest against Mubarak’s regime, the following Military rule, and the following regime of Mohamed Morsi. It portrays uplifting scenes of painting, singing and community protest, as well as heartbreaking scenes of violence and death, providing a powerful and emotional insight into the experiences of the protesters.
Thoughts:
Prior to watching this documentary, I knew very little about the civil and political unrest that had taken place in Egypt between 2011 and 2014. ‘The Square’ furthered my knowledge dramatically as well as providing an emotional insight into the realities of protesting a corrupt and authoritarian regime.
The filming was unobtrusive, mostly recording conversations between the revolutionaries with a fly on the wall style. This allowed the viewer to experience the revolutionaries experiences as intimately and authentically as possible. Whilst watching, I really did feel like i was immersed in their world, sharing their hope, disappointment, happiness and grief as events unfolded.
I was struck by the complexities of rebuilding a democracy after a 30 year regime. It was easy to assume that once Mubarak was removed, a democracy would fall into place. In reality, conflicts of interests between the protesters revealed themselves, and violence between them occurred. The elected leader became just as corrupt as the last, and the protesters were left deflated and divided. The film ends with no clear resolution. I had found myself invested in the hopes of the protesters, and was desperate to find out if their dreams of a true democracy had been achieved. I realised that revolution is not a simple before and after event, but a complex and ongoing process involving huge sacrifice every step of the way.
Where to watch
Netflix
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