Egypt, you've been "Tahrired"

We've been gripped with news from Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square and all across Egypt for the last 18 days and felt happy that finally, the peaceful protests led to Mubarak's resignation as President a few hours ago. (If you missed out on the news the past couple of weeks, watch this report that summarises the past 18 days.)

I was in line waiting to get tickets for A Single Flower when I heard the news and saw the joy on people's faces when they were sharing the news around me and I was trying to imagine what the scenes in Egypt must have been like. After the show (which was great by the way) I rushed home to catch up on the news. I then received this video from Karim Shaaban which I'd like to share with you (I've featured his work on this blog last August/September, the Ramadan video series).

It's a small glimpse of joy the Egyptians are feeling tonight. This is my favourite quote from the video, it really sums up why the people have had enough,

"I dream of liberty, of development in our country. I don't want the FA (Football Association) to have a big budget while scientific research does not. We're 30 years behind, the country is full of trash."

All I can say is Egypt, you've been 'tahrired' and high five to all the brave protesters across the country. Now's your chance to prove you can really be Om El Donia and hope the blood that was shed won't be in vain. After the celebrations are done, let the real work begin. We all hope good things come out of this and no hidden agendas start creeping in.

This is the last entry I read on the BBC page covering the Egypt protest, it was posted at 1757 GMT:

The last word for Saturday in the BBC's live coverage of Egypt should go to the veteran of another liberation struggle: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He's now a member of the Elders, a group of global leaders who offer their advice on the challenges of our time. The Elders tweet:
"'Brothers and sisters of #Egypt, you have given the world the most precious gift: the belief that ultimately right will prevail.' Desmond Tutu"

www.karimshaaban.com

Trailer Tuesday - Hawi by Ibrahim El Batout

This week's Trailer Tuesday is dedicated to Egypt. If you are still not sure of the reasons behind the protests which started on 25th January, Ibrahim El Batout's films might help you understand why.

Ibrahim El Batout has been receiving critical acclaim over the past few years for his films that have toured several film festivals. I was first exposed to his work two years ago at the Dubai International Film Festival when I watched Eye of the Sun. A tender film that reflects on life in Cairo and the society's hardship, it's so heartbreaking and turned me into a big fan of El Batout.

His latest film, Hawi is about Youssef, a prisoner released after five years of solitary confinement to find some important documents which leads to several subplots that includes a group of aspiring songwriters, a satellite TV executive searching for a show host and an elderly juggler leading his sick old horse though the city streets. El Batout continues to look at the daily life of Egyptians through this film showing the struggles of everyday people. It premiered at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival last October and won Best Arab Film.

In the director's note for Hawi, Ibrahim El Batout says the following, which really sums up the situation in Egypt:

Distinctive features of “Hawi” include shooting without a script, the use ofnon-professionalactors, and location shooting attitude, the avoidance of ornamental mise-en-scene but with aesthetic use of framing and composition, a preference for natural light, a freely-moving style of photography that relies on my confidence in holding a shot as much as needed because I don't like to cut or move the camera unless it is motivated, and non interventionist approach to film directing and an avoidance of complex editing.

All of these features satisfy my desire to get closer to everyday reality; subject matter, the lives of the so called ordinary people; and ideology; the hope of political renewal in Egypt, which goes along with the loss of hope coinciding with the failure of the renewal. Each of these features built on the preceding one, culminating my goal of conveying the hope of renewal both in filmmaking and also in life. (You can read the full post here.)

www.ibrahimelbatout.com

Nass Makan by Karim Shaaban

Nass Makan (People of Makan) is a project by the Egyptian Centre for Culture and Arts that brings together musicians of Egypt and Sudan to keep alive the rich history of folkloric music and also exploring new directions with their music. Gypsy Music from the Delta joins hands with Zar songs and Sudanese music styles, traditional instruments join contemporary ones.

For this episode of Ramadan 29, Karim Shaaban recorded this song when he attended a concert at Makan. I really like the music, it does have a mellow start, but the tempo changes gradually.

I really want to learn more about the Nass Makan project, so expect more posts and videos in the near future.

www.vimeo.com/channels/ramadan29
www.egyptmusic.org/nassmakan

Sheikh Ahmed Al Tuni by Karim Shaaban

 

Sheikh Ahmed Al Tuni is known as one of Egypt's great Sufi singers, but I must confess I didn't know about him till I saw this video by Karim Shaaban filmed in Alexandria, Egypt for the Ramadan 29 series.

Al Tuni has quite a following and has performed across Europe and even appeared in and contributed to the soundtrack of Vengo. I've always been very intrigued by Sufism and the relationship between music and spirituality.

Enjoy!

www.vimeo.com/ramadan29

Don't say no to Panda

I love this series of Egyptian ads for a cheese brand called Panda. They are made by Elephant, a boutique agency based in Cairo. They won several awards at the Dubai Lynx Awards in March this year and I hope the Panda ads will help them win some more.

The premise is very simple, in each one, someone is offered Panda cheese, but when the offer is rejected, Panda appears with a disappointed look that causes awkwardness and discomfort to everyone. Then the fun begins.

www.cairoelephant.com
www.youtube.com/PandaEgypt

Click to read more ...