Links to four documentary films will be posted during this course. Two times during the term you will demonstrate in writing how you have thought critically about narratives or images seen in a film f

Sample'Film'Essay'The'Square'is'a'documentary'that'tracks'the'Egyptian'youth'revolution.'“Egypt'was'without'dignity”,'according'to'Ahmed,'a'revolutionary'youth'highlighted'in'the'documentary'(YouTube,'2015).'They'were'tied'down'by'an'unjust'regime'and'its'dictator.'The'people'were'tortured,'electrocuted,'and'beaten'for'speaking'about'politics.'Young'Ahmed'believed'that'demanding'fundamental'rights'in'the'streets'would'bring'change'to'Egypt.'But,'where'did'these'ideas'originate?'“Freedom”'was'the'chant'from'the'crowd'in'Tahrir'Square.'CNN'covered'the'protest.'They'reported'that'people'feared'leaving'the'Square'due'to'Secret'Police'taking,'and'potentially'killing'them'when'they'returned'home.'They'interviewed'a'young'actor'named'Khalid.'Khalid'claimed'to'be'engaging'the'discourse'of'democracy,'freedom,'social'justice,'and'political'reform.'Before'the'protest'was'over,'U.S.'President'Obama'privately'urged'Egypt’s'President'to'resign'(Jost,'2013).'A'picture'begins'to'emerge.'While'interviewing,'Khalid'continued'(in'tandem'with'his'father)'to'explain'that'the'aspirations'of'the'people'were'not'to'get'rid'of'Mubarak'only,'but'to'establish'a'true'democratic'society'in'Egypt'(YouTube,'2015).'The'film'proceeded'to'provide'footage'of'what'appeared'to'be'scripted'interviews'among'leaders'of'the'movement.'Most'of'the'dialogue'was'presented'in'Egyptian,'with'English'subtitles.'But,'some'dialogue'was'in'English.'In'particular,'there'was'an'attorney'introduced,'who'was'later'identified'as'such'to'gather'evidence.'What'evidence,'however,'is'needed'when'confronting'a'dictatorial'regime?'Freedom'House'is'an'independent'organization'dedicated'to'the'expansion'of'democracy'around'the'world'(Freedom'House,'2015a).'They'advocate'for'U.S.'leadership'and'collaboration'with'like[minded'governments'to'vigorously'oppose'dictators.'And,'Human'Rights'Watch'meets'with'governments,'the'United'Nations,'regional'groups,'financial'institutions,'and'corporations'to'press'for'changes'(Human'Rights'Watch,'2015a).'Their'research'is'not'just'about'victims'and'perpetrators,'but'about'determining'who'can'and'should'take'responsibility'for'stopping'rights'violations'and'providing'redress,'the'detailed'and'specific'steps'they'need'to'take,'and'who'else'can'bring'influence'and'leverage'to'bear'(Human'Rights'Watch,'2015b).'It'is'just'these'kind'of'organizations'who'seem'to'be'advising'the'direction'of'the'movement.'The'revolutionary'youth'seem'to'have'been'parroting'something'they'very'recently'learned.'This'became'apparent'in'the'boxed'interviews.'One'young'woman'explained'that'removing'a'national'leader'further'harms'the'people'when'that'leader'is'replaced'with'someone'from'the'same'political'group'(YouTube,'2015).'President'Mubarak'resigned,'but'the'killers'of'protesters'and'those'giving'the'orders'to'kill'were'not'brought'to'trial.'The'Secret'Police'retained'power.'By'the'spring'of'2011,'two'months'since'the'beginning'of'the'revolution'in'Tahrir'Square,'Egypt'remained'under'Emergency'Law.'Since'allowing'the'military'to'talk'them'into'returning'to'their'homes'upon'news'of'the'resignation,'the'revolutionary'youth'determined'to'return'to'the'Square.'Khalid'exclaimed'that'the'main'way'of'communicating'was'through'slogans.'One'came'out'in'song:'Our'revolution'is'a'people’s'revolution.''A'tent'city'was'set'up'in'the'Square.'When'asked'why,'Ahmed'explained'to'fellow'Egyptians'that'it'was'a'mistake'to'leave'before'power'was'in'their'hands.'When'interviewed'by'phone,'Military'Leader'General'Belcheit'explained'that'people’s'demands'should'be'submitted'to'authorities.'They'can'also'complain'to'the'State'media.'Major'Haytham'relegated'protestors'to'stoners,'thieves,'and'thugs.'But,'the'youth'continued'to'lay'claim'to'the'people'being'the'source'of'authority'and'not'the'military.'The'General'personally'delivered'a'curfew'decision'to'those'in'the'square.'The'protestors'were'warned'that'they'would'be'attacked,'if'necessary.'The'exchange'was'recorded'on'video.'The'General'concluded'with'“Off'you'go.'Leave”.'The'military'proceeded'to'clear'the'Square'with'foot'soldiers,'tanks,'and'guns.'Movement'leaders'monitored'the'action'by'computer'screen'from'a'distant'office.'A'young'woman'reported'the'sequence'of'events'to'an'unidentified'party'on'the'other'end'of'a'phone'conversation.'The'tone'of'the'conversation'was'such'that'further'advice'was'expected'as'forthcoming.'The'question'arose,'“can'you'tell'me'the'exact'names?”'The'advice'came'to'be'sure'of'it'before'spreading'the'word.'' The'next'move'of'Khalid'was'to'request'digital'video'cameras'for'compiling'footage'to'be'used'at'some'point'as'evidence.'Ahmed'reiterated'by'claiming'that'as'long'as'there'is'a'camera,'the'revolution'will'continue.'When'advised'by'his'father'that'the'media'would'turn'people'from'the'revolution,'Khalid'determined'to'expose'even'the'corrupt'media.'Pan'to'a'billboard'reading'“We,'Your'Egyptian'Armed'Forces'have'Nothing'but'Love'and'Appreciation'for'Egypt’s'Beloved'People'and'It’s'Innocent'Martyrs'of'the'Revolution.”'Arrests'proceeded'nonetheless.'By'the'summer'of'2011,'thousands'had'been'arrested'and'tried.'The'Muslim'Brotherhood'arranged'for'a'gathering'in'the'Square.'Their'chant'was'“The'Quran'is'our'constitution.'Islamic'Rule.'Islamic'rule.”'It'was'thought'that'the'Brotherhood'made'a'deal'with'the'army.'They'were'accused'of'speaking'in'the'name'of'religion'to'get'what'they'want.'The'media'then'blamed'the'revolutionaries'for'destroying'the'country.'But,'the'revolutionary'youth'continued'to'demand'a'new'constitution.'Ahmed'claimed'that'the'Brotherhood'left'them'in'the'Square'to'be'beaten,'arrested,'and'killed'only'after'they'got'what'they'wanted.'What'would'the'revolutions'next'move'be?'Khalid'was'next'found'seeking'the'advice'of'Mona'Anis,'an'activist'having'experience'in'protests'going'back'to'the'1970s.'Khalid'sought'answers'to'the'question'since'the'elections'would'now'provide'two'options:'those'from'the'existing'regime,'and'those'from'the'Brotherhood,'neither'of'which'supported'the'revolutionary'cause.'Mona'advised'moving'forward'with'the'elections,'as'the'alternative'was'continued'military'rule.'This'is'a'clear'indication'that'there'is'an'outside'force'behind'the'movement.'But,'this'was'not'to'say'that'the'movement'was'finished.'While'conducting'a'demonstration'with'demands'to'enter'the'State'media'building,'protestors'were'again'attacked'by'government'forces.'Following'the'deaths'and'injuries,'the'call'went'out'for'all'bodies'to'be'examined,'and'evidence'kept,'with'copies'of'autopsy'reports.'If'this'doesn’t'sound'scripted,'consider'Ragia'Omran,'a'Human'Rights'lawyer'conveniently'arriving'on'the'scene'in'a'timely'manner.'Filmed'autopsies'were'to'provide'evidence'that'deaths'resulted'from'being'run'over'by'tanks.'Movement'leaders'catered'to'her'wishes.'Then,'further'protests'continued.'The'chant'that'prompted'the'next'attack'followed'singing'at'another'rally.'It'went'“The'people'want'the'fall'of'the'military'regime.”'Two'waves'of'foot'soldiers'and'tanks'dispersed'the'crowd'with'sirens,'smoke,'and'ammunition.'Nerve'gas'was'then'thought'to'be'used'at'the'hospital'where'victims'were'being'treated'due'to'the'convulsions'experienced'by'both'patients'and'doctors.'The'big'question'“Did'you'film'any'of'this?”'After'the'battle'had'raged'for'days,'a'video'was'finally'uploaded'to'YouTube.'People'were'outraged'at'the'extent'of'police'brutality.'In'answer,'the'military'claimed'“The'Armed'Forces'will'move'forward'with'Parliamentary'elections.”''One'year'after'the'start'of'the'revolution,'elections'were'held,'and'the'Brotherhood'won'47%'of'the'seats'(Jost,'2013).'The'Presidential'election'followed'in'May'of'2012'(YouTube,'2015).'Brotherhood'Islamist'Mohammed'Morsi'won.'The'revolutionary'youth'were'certain'that'the'people'would'soon'grow'to'hate'these'winners'because'of'the'control'they'would'exercise.'Within'150'days'of'the'Presidential'election,'Morsi'failed'to'meet'promises,'followed'Islamic'Supreme'Leader'dictates,'exceeded'the'privileges'of'predecessor'Mubarak,'and'tailored'the'constitution'to'the'Brotherhood.''It'is'the'constitution'that'the'revolutionary'youth'remained'determined'to'focus'on,'and'it'is'the'constitution'that'came'under'the'direct'scrutiny'of'Human'Rights'activists.'They'claimed'it'vested'too'much'power'in'the'President,'created'significant'exceptions'for'rights,'and'instituted'Islamic'law'at'the'expense'of'religious'freedom'(Jost,'2013).'The'President'was'empowered'to'appoint'the'Prime'Minister,'dissolve'Parliament,'and'name'members'to'the'Supreme'Court.'There'were'significant'qualifications'on'rights,'and'provisions'for'criminal'prosecution'of'those'insulting'the'president,'judiciary,'or'prophets.'Islam'would'be'the'state'religion,'and'the'basis'of'legislation.'More'protesting'followed.'A'grassroots'campaign'compiled'18'million'signatures'to'install'a'transitional'government,'and'hold'early'presidential'elections'(YouTube,'2015).'Millions'protested'Morsi'on'the'1st'anniversary'of'his'election'in'what'was'reported'to'be'perhaps'the'largest'demonstration'in'the'history'of'the'world.'It'became'the'Muslim'Brotherhood'who'would'conduct'a'sit[in'at'this'point.'Early'elections'were'announced'by'the'head'of'the'Armed'Forces,'and'the'Head'of'the'Constitutional' Court'would'serve'as'interim'President.'The'Brotherhood'awaited'Army'death'squads.'And,'there'was'a'massacre.'But,'what'of'the'revolutionaries?'In'closing'the'film,'Khalid'is'found'explaining'that'freedom,'social'justice,'and'dignity'cannot'be'achieved'in'two'years.'And,'Ahmed'concludes'that'the'Egyptian'people'want'not'a'leader,'but'a'conscience.'They'are'quite'certain'in'these'assertions'that'are'coincidently'reminiscent'of'the'Civil'Rights'Movement'and'early'Labor'Movement'in'the'U.S.'With'experienced'activists'and'a'human'rights'agenda,'these'assurances'come'with'the'conviction'found'in'mentoring.'And'if'organizations'such'as'Freedom'House'are'receiving'financing'from'the'U.S.'Agency'for'International'Development,'and'the'U.S.'Department'of'State'to'the'tune'of'$250,000'each'since'2013'alone'(Freedom'House,'2015b),'such'mentoring'is'adherent'to'policy.'The'cause'of'democracy'was'left'to'the'people'of'the'region.'And,'the'push'for'political'reform'victimized'the'region'because'of'the'powerful'antidemocratic'power'structures'(Jost,'2013).'''References'YouTube'(2015).'The$Square.$Retrieved'from'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzNzOiao41'Jost,'K.'(2013,'Feb).'Unrest'in'the'Arab'World.'CQ$Researcher.$Washington,'DC:'Sage'Publications,'Inc.'Freedom'House'(2015a).'About$Freedom$House.$Retrieved'from'https://www.freedomhouse.org/about[us''Freedom'House'(2015b).'Our$Supporters.$Retrieved'from'https://www.freedomhouse.org/content/our[supporters''Human'Rights'Watch'(2015a).'About$Our$Research.$Retrieved'from'http://www.hrw.org/about[our[research'Human'Rights'Watch'(2015b).'Impact.$Retrieved'from'http://www.hrw.org/impact'''