90 minutes / Color
Arabic / English subtitles
Release: 2012
Copyright: 2011
"Soon after the first reports came about the occupation of Tahrir Square, filmmaker Stefano Savona headed for Cairo, where he stayed, amidst the ever-growing masses in the Square, for weeks. His film introduces us to young Egyptians such as Elsayed, Noha and Ahmed, spending all day and night talking, shouting, singing, finally expressing everything they were forbidden to say out loud until now.
"As the protests grow in intensity, the regime's repression becomes more violent, with the terrifying potential for massacre never far away. TAHRIR is a film written in the faces, hands, and voices of those who experienced this period in the Square. It is a day-to-day account of the Egyptian revolution, capturing the anger, fear, resolve and finally elation of those who made it happen."
(New York Film Festival description)
"A welcome contrast to the Western media's bird's eye view of the seismic January revolution in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the energetic verite documentary TAHRIR dives right into the action."—Eric Kohn, indieWIRE
"The sense of urgency never flags; neither does the protestors' deeply affecting pride in being Egyptian and finally taking control of their destiny. As one woman says, 'We have our dignity back.'"—Jay Weissberg, Variety
Captures the fierce attitude of the crowd and the intense spirit of their determination. It's informative -- and thrilling.—Jennifer Merin, About.com
"TAHRIR records thrillingly the raw chaos of history, gives us the guts of revolt and will fascinate for years to come whatever besets the abused nation who is the film's main character."—James Woodall, The Arts Desk
"TAHRIR: LIBERATION SQUARE has a "you are there" quality that brings the Egyptian stage of the Arab Spring viscerally alive, and therefore will serve as a useful complement to more conventional documentaries about the uprising."—Video Librarian
"The revolution documented in Stefano Savona's TAHRIR: LIBERATION SQUARE is not the sexy revolution of the media. Instead, Stefano Savona captures an organic Egyptian revolution -- one of patience, uncertainty, and fraternity."—Al Jadid: A Review & Record of Arab Culture and Arts
Select Accolades
Egypt in the months leading up to the Tahrir Square demonstrations—and a revolution already simmering under the surface.
Katia Jarjoura | 2011 | 72 minutes | Color | English subtitles
Female street artists are on the front lines in the fight for freedom in Egypt today.
Mark Nickolas and Racha Najdi | 2015 | 40 minutes | Color | English; Arabic | English subtitles
