We Are Egypt: The Story Behind The Revolution

The revolution is not over yet. Want to understand the continuing political transition in today's Egypt? Then this is the film.
Unlike other recent documentaries on the 2011 uprising that toppled Egypt's dictator, many of which rushed in only in time to capture the historic scenes unfolding in Cairo's Tahrir Square, this documentary was begun over a year and half before the revolution began, and before the world's eyes became transfixed on Egypt. In the 18 months leading up to the revolution, before anyone knew what would happen, first-time documentarian Lillie Paquette had already been on the ground in Egypt, tracing the determined efforts of young democracy and labor rights activists who were risking tremendous odds to promote democratic changes under the then US-backed autocratic regime of Hosni Mubarak. "We Are Egypt" takes us on their journey and helps us to understand the various strains of social and political activism that had been brewing in Egyptian politics for many years and helps us to understand why and how these frustrations exploded in early 2011. It allows us to see these struggles through the...

From the inside out
What took place in Egypt heading into the revolution was quite different when viewed from the inside vs. the outside. "We Are Egypt" absolutely provides a view that the international press did not portray and communicate, and subsequently the film brings to light many elements beyond the news' 'this is a social media revolution' headline.

It's rare to have a filmmaker embedded for as long as Paquette was (14 months), and even rarer to have one who really understood the ramifications of what was taking place and what was happening as a lead-up to the headline event. "We are Egypt" delves deeply into these issues, and more importantly, deeply into the emotions of the key people inside the activities. It provides the 'why' as much as the 'how' and serves as an incredible document that will explain to future generations what happened.

Considering the ongoing events today (many months later), "We Are Egypt" is a film that should be viewed by anyone interested in...

If You Want To Learn The Real Story Behind The Revolution, Start Here
You'd think that a film on the Egyptian Revolution that ends before the fall of Mubarak would be incomplete and irrelevant in light of subsequent events. WRONG! Lillie Paquette's documentary is a fascinating and brilliantly crafted insight into the people and emotions that led up to the Revolution. We all know from the news media what happened in Tahrir Square and beyond, but we don't really know why. Paquette's film supplies answers from the people who made it happen, in real time as they struggled to bring about the circumstances leading to revolution. Highly Recommended.

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