Summaries

Synopsis

In early 2011, I watched the 18-day Egyptian revolution filtered through TV, Internet, and news reports, like most of the world. As an Egyptian American, and an experienced filmmaker, I felt a duty to help share the real stories of the people behind the revolution. So in March of 2011 I flew to Egypt on my own to film the reactions of real Egyptian people to the events of the previous two months.Out of those interviews, I created a documentary, Egypt: The Story Behind the Revolution. The 60-minute film captures a moment in time, when the spirit of revolution was still fresh in the hearts of people across Egypt. I have spent the past year showing this film at colleges and private screenings, and making it available for broadcast and DVD distribution to organizations involved with the struggle for Egyptian democracy. The film has been screened in countries around the world, received international distribution, been the official selection of half a dozen film festivals, and has won several awards.But the story isnt over. The glow of optimism has faded, as the military rulers perpetuated the institutional repression that the Mubarak regime stood for. The parliamentary elections were postponed again and again, as religious fundamentalists tried to shape the direction of the revolution to suit their political agenda. In November of 2011, when the elections were finally being held, I went back to Egypt to document the democratic process that was taking place in Egypt. There I participated in the protests in Tahrir square, and interviewed people struggling to define a future Egypt.What I found was that little has changed since Mubarak left the power. The delay in prosecuting him, and those who were responsible for the dead and wounded protesters, has made people in Egypt more frustrated. They are angry at the corrupt system that followed Mubarak, in the form of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.There is ongoing brutality by police and the military against the families of the martyrs, wounded people, and revolutionaries from the Jan 25 revolution. I was a witness to the Mohamed Mahamoud clashes; one of the most bloody protests since the revolution started. It resulted in over 70 deaths in less than a week, and hundreds of people wounded.The lack of international oversight made the polling process a hotbed of corruption. I was able to watch as voting regulations were violated again and again by groups with political affiliations. And I talked with people who were frustrated that even the parliament would have no actual power, since the military had effectively rewritten the constitution to excuse themselves and their budget from oversight. For example:Dr. Mohamed, a Tahrir square doctor, volunteered his time during the 25 of January revolution and the Mohamed Mahmoud clashes. He treated many patients with eyes lost, tear gas asphyxiation, and gunshot wounds. He told me that the death toll due to the tear gas reached a much higher number than in the 18-day stand-off in January and February.Long-time activist Shimaa, who has been fighting the Mubarak regime since the revolution started, was telling me that she thought they got rid of the head of the regime, but the fight is still going on to remove the old regime that was installed by Mubarak.Another activist, Amal, told me she was very disappointed by the political games,and unhappy with the Muslim Brotherhood. She said they were pushing for the 2011 parliamentary election just to prove that they can win an election. They ignored the factthat the military regime is not likely to let go of any power they gained after Mubarak left.Hear from supporters of the revolution wounded during protests, frustrated "Couch Party" members who miss the stability of the Mubarak regime, religious campaigners who want their party to have a stronger voice in the future of Egypt, and many more people from all walks of life caught in the struggle.Context:The Egyptian revolution has inspired the world. Despite that, the situation in Egypt has not been optimistic. After Mubarak stepped down on Feb 11, 2011, he appointed his close friends in the military to take over. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, has done nothing but obstruct the democratic process.SCAF used a wide variety of tactics to repress the emerging freedom of the Egyptian people, including attacking protesters with tear gas and bullets, prosecuting detained activists in military courts, and using the state-run TV to spread their propaganda against the activists, all the time claiming that they were supporting the popular revolution.The Muslim Brotherhood won most of the seats in the parliamentary election using religion to attract voters. Then they decided to run in the presidential election, despite promising not to during the revolution.The activists and protesters who came to Tahrir square in 2011, demanding a free and democratic Egypt, havent had their demands met. They have been fighting on many sides to keep the spirit of the revolution alive. Meanwhile, military forces continue to control the government, religious parties dominate the Parliament, and many Egyptians long for the old days under Mubarak.What happens next will be history in the making.