FILM REVIEW Private Revolutions - Young, Female, Egyptian
Aug 31, 2014 Film/Video
The world premiere of the documentary 'Private Revolutions - Young, Female, Egyptian' by Austrian director Alexandra Schneider has been shown recently at the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF). The film covers the period from the beginning of the Egyptian revolution until the announcement of the first democratic elections in the country. Schneider follows the lives of four Egyptian women: Fatema, Sharbat, Amani and May, which is far from ideal. In a way, these four women are the personification of today's Egypt, given that all belong to different ideological and social category.
Alexandra Schneider, the director of the documentary / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Fatema Abouzeid is an active member of the Muslim Brotherhood and a daughter of a hi ranking politician of the movement; Sharbat Abdallah is a woman of a lower social status, trying to be a part of the protest wave; Amani Eltunsi is a feminist and owner of a radio station and May Gah Allah is Nubian who is trying to start a development project in southern Egypt.
The film in a very positive way emphasizes the role of Fatema as enlightened and educated Muslim, having a Master of Political Sciences and the mother of three children. The story follows her work on the election campaign of the Muslim Brotherhood. Unlike the street activist Sharbat, mother of three children and recently divorced, that is presented as politically disoriented person without a clear vision of the future of Egypt, and therefore easily manipulated. Amani is trying, through her radio station and her books, to spread feminism, and the awareness of the new social values, inspired by Western countries and therefore experiences considerable opposition by the regime. Her books are burnt and her radio station is hacked so she can no longer broadcast. She tries to leave Egypt and goes to Dubai but soon returns back. Finally, we witness all the problems May has, trying to establish an educational and sports infrastructure project in the southern Egypt, which would enable easier education and happier life for young Nubian generations.
Amani Eltunsi / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Amani Eltunsi / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Fatema Abouzeid / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Fatema Abouzeid / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Sharbat Abdallah / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Sharbat Abdallah / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
May Gah Allah / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
May Gah Allah / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
Women protest / Photo © Daniela Praher Filmproduktion
At the end of the screening, there was a discussion with Alexandra Schneider about the film and her experience while living in Egypt for two years. The world premiere of the documentary was attended by Sarajevo audience and the Egyptian Consul in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
English, Arabic (Ger/Eng sub), HD, Dolby Stereo, 98 min, cinema version & 52 min, TV version
Director: Alexandra Schneider / Producer: Daniela Praher / Cinematography: Sandra Merseburger, Alexandra Schneider / Editing: Alexandra Löwy / Sound: Alexandra Schneider, Daniela Praher / Sound Design: Andreas Pils / Colour Grading: Kurt Hennrich / Music: Julian Hruza, Fayrouz Karawaya / With: Sharbat Abdallah, Fatema Abouzeid, Amani Eltunsi, May Gah Allah
Supported by ORF Film/Fernsehabkommen, bm:ukk, Land Oberösterreich, Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Learn more about the documentary HERE.
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