10 Years Since Tahrir: Al-Bustan Film Series on the Egyptian Revolution

Al-Bustan is pleased to virtually screen a weekly film series on the Egyptian Revolution curated by film critic Joseph Fahim! The series consists of several documentaries, features, and shorts spanning over April and May. 

I AM THE PEOPLE | Register here

The chaos and emotional confusion of the aftermath of the Jan. 25, 2011 Egyptian is captured in this perceptive record of a villager in the South of Egypt as he grapples with various forces he cannot fathom. –Joseph Fahim

Summary: Anna Roussillon’s I Am The People is the charming, funny and fascinating portrait of a family, far from Tahrir Square in Egypt’s rural South, as they follow the Tahrir uprising via television news and local papers. From the toppling of President Mubarak to the election of Mohamed Morsi, the film charts their progression from amused distant observers of the events in Cairo through their increasing engagement and politicisation. [AndanaFilms] 

About the director: Anna Roussillon (1980, Lebanon) spent her childhood in Cairo and later moved to France, where she studied Philosophy, Arab culture and documentary. At present she is working as an Arabist in Lyon, while she is also working on a variety of Egypt-related film projects. Je suis le peuple, her debut, won the major prizes at the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival and the Belfort International Film Festival EntreVues. [DaFilms]

Festival Awards:
Best World Documentary & Best Debut Film, Jihlava IDFF – Czech Republic 
Best Feature Film & Audience Award, Belfort Entrevues – France
Best World documentary, San Cristobal – Mexico 
Best documentary, Hong-Kong Int’l Film Festival 
Best documentary, Dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg – Germany
Best feature documentary, Doxa – Canada
Grand prize Nezha Drissi, Fidadoc Agadir – Morocco
Audience Award, Olhar de Cinema Curitiba – Brazil 
Silver Owl Award (Runner-up prize), Aichi Women Int’l Film Festival – Japan
Best film, Arkipel Documentary and Experimental Film Festival – Indonesia
Best documentary, Dohuk Int’l Film Festival, Kurdistan – Iraq 
Emerging Cinematic Vision Award & The John Marshall Award for Contemporary Ethnographic Media, Camden Int’l Film Festival, USA 

RAGS AND TATTERS | Register here

Summary: Unfolding a new experience in Egyptian cinema, the story builds up with minimal dialogue between the characters based on visual narration within a balanced equation of documentation and narration. The film tells the story of a prison inmate who escapes from jail following the incidents that took place across the country on January 28th, 2011, when police forces were withdrawn from the streets and chaos prevailed. The film stars Asser Yassin who plays the leading role of the fugitive inmate who moves in a number of poor alienated Egyptian districts. [Film Clinic] 

About the director: Ahmad Abdalla is an Egyptian award-winning director, editor and screenwriter, Ahmad Abdalla graduated from Faculty of Music Education and started working as a film editor since 2003. He wrote and directed the feature films; Heliopolis (2009), one of the first films of the Egyptian Independent film wave, Microphone (2010) and Rags and Tatters (2013). In 2014, Abdalla directed the psychological drama Décor that made its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. He won the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul International Film Festival, Tanit d’or at the Carthage Film Festival (JCC), Griot Best Film at the African Film Festival of Tarifa, Best Arabic Film at the Cairo International Film Festival, and the Golden Antigone at the 35th Cinemed. [Mad Distribution]

Awards:
Golden Antigone Award for the Best Narrative Feature, Cinemed International Mediterranean Festival of Montpellier – France

Festivals:
World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington D.C. 
Abu Dhabi Film Festival 
BFI London Film Festival 
International Film Festival Rotterdam 
Singapore International Film Festival 
Munich Film Festival 
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Kalamazoo World Languages Film Festival at Western Michigan University 
Festival International du Film d’Amour de Mons in Brussels 
Dublin Arabic Film Festival 
Mizna Twin Cities Arab Film Festival 
New Middle East Cinema Film Festival at University of Pennsylvania 
Africa Film Festival in Belgium 
Seattle International Film Festival 
Galway African Film Festival in Ireland

CROP | Register here

Summary: Crop is an absorbing account of the Egyptian revolution of 2011 – one that includes no images of the popular uprising itself. Filmed entirely within the offices of Al-Ahram, the country’s largest state-run newspaper, the film is a series of carefully composed tableaux that expose the institution’s functioning and the former regime’s strict control over information. To explain what we are seeing, a photojournalist, who missed the revolution because he was in the hospital, provides voiceover narration. With their formal mastery and perceptive framing, Johanna Domke and Marouan Omara inspire us to think about the power of images. [DaFilms] 

About the directors: Johanna Domke is a filmmaker with a background as a visual artist. She grew up in Germany and Argentina and studied Fine Arts at the Royal Danish Art Academy , the Malmö Art Academy  in Sweden and Film Directing at the Media Art Academy in Cologne, Germany. She is the Co-Founder of the production company Pulver Film, producing creative documentaries for TV and Cinema. Her films and videos have been shown in international film festivals and acclaimed art institutions around the world. She has been awarded respected art prices and received various working and production grants. Her work was supported by institutions such as the WDR, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Biennale di Venezia, Hot Docs-Blue Ice Fund, IDFA Bertha Fund and Catapult Film Fund. Her films are distributed by the Arsenal Institut für Film und Videokunst, Berlin und Real Fiction Filmverleih, Cologne. She has been curating group shows and screening programs and led an artist-run gallery. With an affinity to theory she has been lecturing in art, film and photography and is a vibrant researcher in media theory. [Johanna Domke]

Marouan Omara, 1987 is an Egyptian filmmaker with a background as photographer, He received his BA in Applied Arts – Photography (2010) and his Diploma in Film Directing (2012). Between Sep.2012, and Sep.2017, He worked as a film instructor at the German University in Cairo – GUC and an adjunct professor for film production at the American University in Cairo – AUC. Later, he participated as a founder/advisor for many other film educational programs such as CineDelta, a year-round study program aimed to support Egyptian documentary filmmakers. Since 2017, Marouan is the managing director of the Regional Conference for Arab Independent Cinema – RCAIC, an annual periodic meeting for constructive dialogue and exchange of views among Arab filmmakers, producers, funders, distributors..etc. to provide an opportunity for participants to share experiences, challenges, and solutions that would benefit the Arab film industry. [Marouan Omara]

Awards:
Golden Key Honorable mention at Kasseler Dokfilmfest 

Festivals:
International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands
Festival del Cinema Africano, d’Asia e America Latina, Milano, Italy
Ischia Film Festival, Ischia, Italy
New Filmmakers | New Films Festival, Espinho, Portugal
Muslihat OK Video Jakarta, Indonesia
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan
Beirut International Film Festival, Libanon
Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic
DOK Leipzig, Germany
RIDM – Montreal International Documentary Festival, Canada
Kasseler Dokumentar und Videofest, Germany
Pravo Ljudski Film Festival, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Arab Camera Filmfestival Rotterdam, Netherlands  

WAVES | Register here

Summary: A hybrid documentary that combines live action, animation and experimental footages into a narrative that explores the unique characteristics of the Egyptian city of Suez. The plot unfolds in chapters or waves; each wave depicts a period of time in the trajectory of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, which sparked first in the filmmaker’s home city of Suez.

About the director: Ahmed Ismaiel Nour is an Egyptian filmmaker who has worked in the film industry since 2006. He started his career as assistant director in several feature films, TV. Shows and music videos. He wrote, produced, edited and directed fiction, experimental, and documentary films, which participated in international film festivals and won numerous prizes. He also wrote, produced and directed several full-length documentary films for Middle-Eastern TV. Channels. He was the co-founder of Moug Films, a Cairo based production house, which had produced highly acclaimed documentary films between 2012 and 2018. Ahmed has a BA in Media Studies from Ainshams University, Egypt; and an MFA in film & video from York University, Canada.

Awards:
Cinema in motion Award, San Sebastian Film Festival, 2012
Merit Award for Best Cinematography, Cebu International Documentary Film Festival, 2014
Golden Plank Award for Best Long Documentary, Ismailia International Film Festival, 2014
Grand Prize for Best Feature Length Film, Rencontres de l’image film festival, Cairo, Egypt, 2014
Special Mention, Luxor African Film Festival, 2015
Jury Prize, Moscow International Documentary Film Festival, 2015
Audience Choice Award, Africa in Motion Scotland Film Festival, 2015 

Festivals:
Galway International Film Festival, 2014
Sarajevo Film Festival, 2014
Dubai International Film Festival, UAE, 2013
Rencontres de l’image film festival, Cairo, Egypt, 2014
Annecy international animation film festival, France. 2014
Asia Pacific Screen Awards, 2014
San Sebastian Film Festival, 2012 

1/2 REVOLUTION | Register here

Summary: Arriving in Cairo on assignment, 24th of January 2011, Omar Shargawi, couldn’t have predicted that a day later the streets would erupt in one of the most important revolutions of this century. 

Alongside fellow filmmaker Karim El Hakim, Shargawi captured the reality of the revolution that occurred out of view from the world’s media, away from the square, in the alleyways and streets. In committing themselves to capturing footage the military wanted destroyed, they risked their Freedom and were arrested by the secret police. Inside they were beaten and only released when the police discovered their International passports. They fled Egypt with the film material hidden in a pram. Others were not so lucky… 

About the Directors: Director Omar Shargawi, born 1974, Denmark. Raised by his danish mother and palestinian father in Copenhagen. Self-taught director with previous experience working as a photographer. Shargawi made his feature film debut as director ‘Go with Peace Jamil’ (2008). The film won several awards at international festivals – winning the VPRO Tiger Award in Rotterdam, the Church Prize and FIPRESCI Award in Göteborg and Best Director in Transylvania. ‘Al Medina’ (2015) is his second feature film as a director. Shargawi also directed several documentaries. ‘My Father from Haifa’ (2009), about the director’s father who as a child fled with his family from Palestine, took home two awards at the Dubai International Film Festival. In 2011 he co-directed ‘Half a revolution’. His third documentary ‘Western Arabs’ (2019) was selected for Panorama at the Berlinale and was also selected for CPH:DOX. [Det Danske Filminstitut]

Karim El Hakim is a renowned director and director of photography who has contributed to numerous award-winning political documentaries about the Middle East. His latest film “1/2 Revolution” is a personal, intimate story from the Arab Spring: a group of friends living in downtown Cairo struggle to stay together during the first chaotic days of the Egyptian Revolution.

El Hakim recounts his experience on the front lines of the Revolution; providing insight into Egypt’s current state of affairs as well as its relationship with Western Powers and the reaction the film has acquired in these regions. He also advises documentary filmmakers about proper techniques and storytelling structure. Watch his interview unfold and check out the film’s website for more information. [Center for Media & Social Impact]

Festivals
2021:
Tehran, Cinéma Vérité, Documentary Film Festival, Iran
Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Rep.
Dokufest Prizren, Kosova
Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel
SilverDocs AFI Documentary Festival, US
Sheffield Doc/Fest, UK
Sao Paulo It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival, Brazil
Trondheim Kosmorama International Film Festival , Norway
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Greece
Gothenburg International Film Festival, Sweden
Sundance Film Festival, US

2011:
Dubai International Film Festival, United Arab Emirates
CPH:DOX, Denmark
Nordisk Panorama, Denmark

1/2 Revolution – Trailer from LevelK on Vimeo.

TAHRIR: LIBERATION SQUARE | Register Here

Summary: Soon after the first reports came about the occupation of Tahrir Square, filmmaker Stefano Savona headed for Cairo, where he stayed, amidst the ever-growing masses in the Square, for weeks. His film introduces us to young Egyptians such as Elsayed, Noha and Ahmed, spending all day and night talking, shouting, singing, finally expressing everything they were forbidden to say out loud until now.

About the Director: Stefano Savona was born in Palermo in 1969. He studied Archeology and Anthropology. In 1999 he switched his principal area of activity to directing and producing documentaries and video installations such as MIRRORED BORDER (2002, Special Jury Prize Torino FF) and D-DAY (2005, Centre Pompidou, Paris). His feature lenght documentary NOTES FROM A KURDISH REBEL (2006) received a nomination for a David di Donatello, and won the SCAM prize at Cinéma du Rèel in Paris. CAST LEAD (2009) was selected to the Locarno Film Festival – Cinéastes du présent and won the Special Jury Prize. Since 2009 he has been collecting the hundreds testimonies of “Il Pane di San Giuseppe” (“Saint Joseph’s Bread”), a visual history archive dedicated to the living memory of 100 years of rural civilization in Sicily. In 2011, he produced and directed PALAZZO DELLE AQUILE, winner of the Grand Prix of the Cinéma du Réel Festival. In 2011 he directed TAHRIR LIBERATION SQUARE, selected at Locarno Film Festival, distributed theatrically in France, winner of a David di Donatello and of a Silver Ribbon for Best Feature Lenght Documentary in 2012. His most recent film SAMOUNI ROAD was presented in the 50th Directors’ Fortnight and won the award for the best documentary screened across the various Cannes sections.

Festivals:

• Official Selection, 2012 DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Vancouver
• Official Selection, 2011 New York Film Festival
• Official Selection, 2011 DocLisboa
• Official Selection, 2011 Belfort International Film Festival
• Official Selection, 2011 Dubai international Film Festival
• Official Selection, 2011 Watch Docs Warsaw International Film Festival
• Official Selection, 2011 DOC POINT Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
• Official Selection, 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
• Winner, 2011 International Competition Tasca d’Almerita Award, SalinaDocFest
• Winner, Grand Prize, 2011 Traces de vies Documentary
• Film Festival World Premiere, 2011 Locarno Film Festival

THE UNKNOWN SWEET POTATO SELLER | Register Here

Q&A with Kal Abol Naga on Monday, May 24 at 7 PM EST | RSVP

Summary: Khaled wakes up from a nightmare to find himself living it. investigating a murder case of a child who sells street cart sweet potato in Tahrir Square. His journey of investigations takes him to an unexpected outcome. [IMDB] 

About the Director: Roshdy Ahmed graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in animation department. His first short film titled “Night” was screened in 9 festivals & won two awards & three honor certificates. His latest animation short film “Tarot”, won 10 awards in the “48 hours film project in Cairo” & was chosen to be part of the final international contest in Hollywood, California. The film won as global best of the 48 hours film 2014 & received a three special screenings in Cannes International film Festival 2015 in the Palais. His new film “The Unknown Sweet Potato Seller” starring Khaled Abol Naga and Tara Emad and funded by The British Council will be screened in Dubai film festival as a world premiere in December 2016.

Kal Abol Naga is an ACTOR, PRODUCER & DIRECTOR from Egypt based in the US since 2017, with a body of work extending to the EU, UK, Australia, Africa and Asia. Collected numerous Best-Actor Awards since 2001 (including: VILLA 69, EYES OF A THIEF, GAME OF LOVE). Produced Award-Winning feature films since 2009 (including: HELIOPOLIS, MICROPHONE, VILLA 69).

Festivals: 

• Winner, Outstanding Achievement Award, Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, 2018
• Winner, Best Animation, Miami Short Film Festival, 2017 
  Nominee, Best Short Film, Bangalore International Film Festival, 2019
• Nominee, Audience Award, Belize International Film Festival, 2019
• Nominee, Best Short Film, Dubai Internaional Film Festival, 2016
• Nominee, Short Film, NewFilmmakers New York, 2019
• Nominee, Best Animate Short Film, Real Time Film Festival, 2020
• Nominee, Animation Film Competition Award, Rwanda Film Festival, 2019
• Nominee, Best Animated Film, Sunscreen Film Festival, 2018
• Nominee, Best Short, Sunscreen Film Festival, 2018