A Son: Exploring films of the Arab Spring
A Son directed by Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi Barsaoui screens at FACETS December 10-12 & 17-19, 2021. To buy tickets and learn more about the event check out our program listing on the FACETS website. Sami Bouajila earned a Cesar award for best actor for his portrayal of the father in A Son. As a film debut, A Son by Barsaoui creates a compelling narrative about a husband and wife at odds with each other after their son’s accident. A few months after the Tunisian Revolution, the Youssef family is vacationing in the countryside and they find themselves caught in an ambush. Islamic Insurgents attack their car and their son, Aziz, is critically wounded. They move him to the nearest hospital where the parents learn that their son needs a liver transplant. The intensity is upped because Aziz will die if a donor is not found in an allotted amount of time. The parents, Fares (Sami Bouajila) and Meriem (Najla Ben Abdallah), encounter more twists and turns as the story unfolds. During their stay at the hospital, a shocking family secret, which triggers a wide array of problems for the Youssef family, is revealed. Their lives change dramatically after this familial revelation comes to light.
The beginnings of the Arab Spring movement serve as a backdrop for family conflict. If you are not aware, the Arab Spring movement was a series of anti-government uprisings that spread across the Arab world in the 2010s. These uprisings and protests began as a reaction to economic issues and corruption that many saw in their lives. The Arab Spring movement was influenced by the Tunisian Revolution (also called the Jasmine Revolution), which A Son uses as its backdrop, and was a 28-day campaign of resistance that led to the expulsion of then president Zine El Abidine in 2011. In A Son, a family excursion during this revolution leads to the main conflict of the film and the tension between the husband and wife. The Arab Spring movement, which took place in countries in the form of protests and the removal of then leaders were in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain, and Syria. Other countries of the Arab world would also see street demonstrations and minor protests occur as a result of these uprisings.
For this publication, since A Son is such a complex and emotionally engaging film, we at FACETS are compiling a list of films that depict the Arab Spring movement. We would like to reiterate the importance of taking the time to see A Son, because it is now going to be screened across the US (you can purchase tickets from FACETS here) and because it won so many awards abroad. Now, with how wide ranging the Arab Spring movement is, particularly all the countries that it affected, we will look at a number of films that received similar attention to A Son. These will be both a mixture of documentary and fiction films, which will hopefully be educational as well as an enlightening experience.
THE SQUARE (2013)
DIRECTED BY JEHANE NOUJAIM
A documentary film that shows the Egyptian Crisis up to 2013 (the year it was made), The Square is a film that observes the beginnings of revolution and the subsequent ousting of the leaders in Egypt. The Egyptian Crisis started from the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, which was a diverse social protest that forced president Hosni Mubarak out of office (he was in office from 1981-2011). The president was expelled after 18 days of protests in Tahrir Square (also known as martyr square). The Square starts with the Egyptian Revolution at Tahrir Square (hence the name of the film). Like A Son, the film received many awards and nominations such as three Emmy Awards and a nomination for Best Documentary at the 86th Academy Awards.
The documentary is an observational look at the struggles of the Egyptian Revolution through six protestors from diverse backgrounds. Starting with the Tahrir square and leading into the ousting of Mubarak, we follow characters who must survive in the atmosphere of victory and the danger of the transitional period, when Egypt was under military rule for a period. This military rule puts in danger the victories that the public had against the Mubarak regime. If you are interested in understanding how the Arab Spring movement spread to Egypt, and how everything played out, this documentary gives an exceptional look at the lives of regular people who were able to accomplish their political change to their best abilities. Although it covers only up to 2013, it explores much of the anxieties the citizenry faces during these times and beyond.
Rent The Square (2013) at Amazon Prime and Netflix.
THE NILE HILTON INCIDENT (2017)
DIRECTED BY TARIK SALEH
Like A Son, The Nile Hilton Incident has its story set in the backdrop of revolution. In this case, the film focuses on an incident that occurs during the Egyptian Revolution. A police officer investgates the murder of a woman that turns out to be a incredibly important case. Initially, they assume that this is open and shut— the murder of a sex worker. However, this quickly becomes a case that involves the Egyptian elite class. A maid at a high-end hotel observes the murder of the singer. Despite the witness, and the police officer who is diligently assigned to the case, the elite do not want this case solved for mysterious reasons.
The film explores the corruption of the Egyptian police before the Revolution took place in 2011.
Detective Naredin, the police officer, becomes entrenched in a duel between elite Egyptian politics. No one can be trusted by Naredin as he investigates this case, due to the internal corruption of the office itself. Cairo becomes threatening as revolution approaches. Saleh takes an approach similar to the film noirs of the past to examine Egyptian bureaucratic processes before the revolution. The film won prizes from Sundance and the Guldbagge Awards. If you are interested in a film that explores the more current political landscape of Egypt while also being an exciting detective story, The Nile Hilton Incident might just be for you.
Rent The Nile Hilton Incident at Prime Video.
TIMBUKTU (2014)
DIRECTED BY ABDERRAHMANE SISSAKO
Timbuktu (2014) competed for the Palme d’Or in the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. It won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the François Chalais Prize. The film looks at the citizens of the city of Timbuktu in central Mali after extremist Islamists occupy the country. They are under the jihadist black flag and put in place a strict interpretation of sharia law. They include harsh sentences for singing, and being in mixed-sex enviorments (that are not family), playing football, and adultery is also punished by death.
A Tuareg cattle herder named Kidane lives with his wife Katima and his daughter Toya. The film shows a cow damage the fisherman Armadou’s net, which causes him to kill it. Kidane accidently kills Armadou after confronting him about the cow. Living with the Jihadists and having just murdered someone, they arrest Kidane and give him the option to pay forty cattle in compensation to the family. Although Kidane’s wife is able to get the amount of cattle, Armadou’s family refuses compensation and the death penalty is inacted. This is a film that looks at life when extremists take over, and the laws that people must face in these situations. Timbuktu is a stellar film that anyone wanting to learn about the citizens in central Mali should watch.
Rent Timbuktu at FACETS.
THE WAR SHOW (2016)
DIRECTED BY ANDREAS DALSGAARD AND OBAIDAH ZYTOON
The War Show is a documentary film about a Syrian radio DJ who talks about her personal experiences during the aftermath of Arab Spring in 2011. The film shows the Syrian uprising through the eyes of the radio DJ protagonist. There is a heightened sense of reality in this film because we follow characters who are harmed by the realities of the civil war. The Bashar al-Assad regime is shown in a negative light, and there is also criticism of the rebels.
The DJ shows herself and her acquaintances as regular Syrians having to live through the civil war, which has caused havoc and death. Their environment has been altered, but unlike other governments, Assad was given support from Russia and Iran. The Syrian Civil war began in 2011 and is still ongoing. With the Arab Spring movement, some Syrians called for Bashar al-Assad to resign power. However, the conflict has many supporters of Assad being Shia while the people that oppose him are mostly Sunni. Overall, the film documents the ongoing Syrian Civil War and the life of the main protagonist who attempts to have a regular life in the wake of conflict and the euphoria felt during the Arab Spring.
Rent The War Show at Tubi.
WALLS (2012)
DIRECTED BY SARA ISHAQ
Set during the 2011 uprising in Yemen, Karma Has No Walls (2012) shows the Yemeni revolution and the division between what happened on Friday, March 18th 2011 and the revolution. On what is dubbed “Friday of Dignity,” tragic events caused a watershed in the revolution. 53 protestors were shot dead by pro-government snipers, which caused mass organization of protestors in the square. The film retells what happened on that fateful day and uses the testimonials from two fathers to show the Yemeni revolution as it was.
If you are interested in revolutions that might not be widely remembered, Karma Has No Walls effectively details the conflict in Yemen with footage from two cameramen. This footage shows the people behind the tragic events of the Friday of Dignity. After the uprising in Tunisia, which A Son observed, similar protests occurred in Yemen with protestors gathered to call for Saleh to step down as president. The protests in Yemen were organized with tight leadership, unlike other protests. In 2013, Saleh promised not to seek reelection for another term. Previously, he made concessions with the citizens, but ultimately would not continue as president.
Rent Karma Has No Walls on YouTube.
18 DAYS
DIRECTED BY 10 DIRECTORS (SEE LIST BELOW).
18 Days is a film that documents ten separate stories about the 25 January revolution. The film also covers the Egyptian citizens who take part in the revolution. They show both the protest against President Hosni Mubarak and his withdrawal from the office. It is interesting that this film is an anthology film of ten different directors working to put ten different short films into one large work. The filmmakers and film titles are as follows: Retention by Sherif Arafa, God’s Creation by Kamla Abou Zikri, 19-19 by Marwan Hamed, When the Flood Hits You… by Mohamed Ali, Curfew by Sherif El Bendary, Revolution Cookies by Khaled Marei, Tahrir 2/2 by Mariam Abou Ouf, Window by Ahmad Abdalla, Interior/Exterior by Yousry Nasrallah, Ashraf Seberto by Ahmad Alaa.
These films were not well funded and were mostly done voluntarily by the group of directors. They were allowed to explore the 25 January revolution in any way they saw fit. If they heard about a story or came up with one they would create a story based on that. If they actually experienced the events they would also create from those experiences. These films also document what happened in Tahrir Square after the events of the revolution. An excellent double feature with The Square, this is a film that is uniquely Egyptian and notable for its collaboration of multiple directors with different voices but speaking about the same important events in their own way.
Watch 18 Days on Mubi.
AFTER THE BATTLE (2012)
DIRECTED BY YUSRI NASRULLAH
After the Battle follows Mahmoud who was part of the armed groups is forced by the Egyptian Government to conduct attacks on the protesters in Tahrir Square on February 2nd 2011. As a worker, Mahmoud lost his job and has been humiliated by the people around him. He is no longer welcomed by his own community near the Pyramids. He is on the brink when he meets a secular Egyptian divorcee named Reem who works in advertising and is considered more modern in her approach to the world.
As a person, Reem is an ecologist who lives in a wealthy neighborhood located in Cairo. These two people, Mahmoud and Reem, encounter each other. They are completely different and from completely different backgrounds. Their chance encounter affects both of their lives. The fact that Mahmoud was a member of the armed groups who were almost forced by the Egyptian Government to attack protesters makes this character dynamic more interesting. All in all, this is a story that reflects its time period and how Egypt moves forward from the 2011 revolution.
Rent After the Battle at Prime Video.
ARTSCAPE – POETS OF PROTEST
FEATURING AHMED FROUAD NEGM: WRITING A REVOLUTION (2012)
Poets of Protest is a series that shows the poet’s view of the change in the Middle East and North Africa. The series features six contemporary writer profiles of poets who inspired their places of origin. For our selection, we have chosen Ahmed Fouad Negm as a poet who was dubbed the voice of Egypt’s revolution. The film is about an 83-year-old Fouad Negm finding his place in the revolution in 2011. This exploration of Negm and his poetry came out in 2012 and he unfortunately died a year later at the age of 84.
“Uncle Ahmed” was a controversial and politically incorrect poet who discovered poetry in the 1950s when he was in prison. Ever since his discovery of poetry, he was always writing and developing his voice. During the eruption of the Egyptian revolution in 2011, Ahmed Fouad Negm’s poetry was chanted in Tahrir Square. Before his passing, people looked upon Negm as a voice for revolution. In this short documentary, there is a description of his famous poems such as The Brave man is Brave. It is important to understand the literary figures of different cultures and countries, so Writing a Revolution is an important watch for that reason.
Watch Ahmed Fouad Negm: Writing a Revolution on Al Jazeera.
WORDS OF WITNESS (2012)
DIRECTED BY MAI ISKANDER
Journalist, 22-year-old Heba Afify goes out to cover the historical events that are shaping Egypt. Her mother reminds her that she is still a girl despite her choice of profession, but Heba Afify challenges her family and culture by going to the streets to report on the issues during the revolution. Afify uses tweets and texts to get her message across to a wide audience in Egypt. The film is a document that explores Afify and her coming of age and her rise to politics. Finally, the film shows Afify’s disillusionment with politics. The documentary film explores the life of this young woman’s commitment to the revolution and the future of Egyptian politics.
Iskander uses a hand-held camera to beam us into the events that actually happened. It is a portrait of the situation that will determine the future of the country. The documentary covers what comes after the 30-year-dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. We see a turn to possible democracy in Egypt, which is altogether brought together through the portrait of a young woman willing to put herself in difficult situations to bring people the truth.
Rent Words of Witness on Prime Video.
BAHRAIN: SHOUTING IN THE DARK
DIRECTED BY MAY YING WELSH
In Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark, the people who have been repressed by the Bahrain monarchy gather at Pearl Square to fight for their rights. The Bahrain revolution is a forgotten revolution that did not have the same results as many other countries part of the Arab Spring around the world. The film features recorded footage from protests and activist interviews. They also show footage from the Bahraini state television, which was what they were presenting to its citizens during the gathering at Pearl Square.
This is a television documentary funded by Al Jazeera English about the Bahraini Uprising of 2011. The protests, like other countries, called to end the monarchy of their leader Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. There were deadly night raids that killed protesters at the capital city Manama at the Pearl Roundabout. This is known as Bloody Thursday by the local inhabitants of Manama. The film is called, “shouting in the dark,” because it captures the reality and feeling of many Bahraini citizens when their uprising proved to be futile in causing Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa to abdicate. Overall, the film looks at the different facets of the Bahraini uprising of the Shia majority that many may have not heard about.
Rent Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark on Youtube.
Christian Mietus is an Editorial Assistant Intern at FACETS. He is a Senior working towards a B.A in EnglishGeneral Writing (Creative and Professional) at Lewis University with minors in Film Studies and Russian Language and Culture. In 2019, his poetry was published in both the WINDOWS fine arts magazine and in the City Brink literary magazine. In May 2019, his collaborative project, “Assimilation through Sound” was chosen for the Stephany Schlachter Award at Lewis University. Christian is a film lover, some of his favorite filmmakers are Andrei Tarkovsky, Andrzej Wajda, and Krzysztof Kieslowski.
Ān Kassel is an Media Production Assistant Intern at FACETS. They received their BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where they concentrated on Film, Screenwriting, VR, and Performance Art. They were the director, producer, and screenwriter for She Became Visible that screened in the FVNMAS Festival 2021. Currently, their work advocates for new kinds of representation of East Asian transracial adoptees and explores queer and East Asian intersections.