The Square

After a friend who studied abroad in Egypt recommended that I watch the film "The Square," I easily found the film in its entirety on YouTube.  I thought I would watch the film in small parts, but as soon as I started I knew I could not stop.  The film is filled with live footage from Tahrir Square in Cairo.  Protesters give first hand accounts from their experiences.  Each person introduced has a different mentality and philosophy which adds depth to the story.  The film gives us insight into a side of the conflict that is not commonly depicted in the media.  There are peaceful, beautiful scenes of togetherness, juxtaposed with scenes depicting death and brutality.  The film raises questions about politics, and religion and the role that each should have in a nation.  An interesting aspect of the film is the Muslim Brotherhood, and their involvement in the changes in Egypt since protests started.  Admittedly, I am not abundantly informed on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, so the film served as a starting point for more research.  The film combines the heated emotions of the protests with the passions of the people fighting for liberties to create a well-organized and informative selection of images and dialogues that serve to inform and inspire viewers. At times, the film can be difficult to watch but it is definitely worth the effort.  I was interesting to hear the Egyptian accent come out, especially on word like army where the "jeem" is pronounced with a hard "gah."

The film has been nominated for an Academy Award and many other awards.  The film is not shown in Egypt. I highly recommend watching the film.