The Square

The Square film image

Screenings

2014 Season
London

From the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year-long dictatorship in 2011 to the military's removal of Egypt's first democratically elected president in 2013, we follow a group of Egyptian activists as they confront the authorities and security forces to build a new society of conscience. The Square is a truly immersive experience, transporting the viewer into the intense emotional drama and personal stories behind the news. It is the inspirational story of young people—armed with nothing more than cameras, social media, YouTube video posts, and determination—claiming their rights and risking their lives as security forces attempt to crush their protests. As the activists fight an ancient war with new weapons, these technologies show that the voice of the people cannot be silenced in the digital age. 2014 Academy Award® Nominee for Best Documentary Feature

Filmmaker(s): 
Jehane Noujaim
Year: 
2013
104m
Language(s): 
In English and Arabic with English subtitles
Genre: 
Documentary

In the background of the political story of protests and elections in Egypt over the past three years, there has been one constant: the police, and at times the military, have continued to use excessive lethal force against largely peaceful protesters. The worst such incident—the single largest mass killing in recent Egyptian history—occurred on August 14, 2013, when security forces killed almost 1,000 protesters while dispersing a pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-in. Human Rights Watch has documented how security forces have killed protesters with impunity for the past three years, and has been advocating for police reform and the prosecution of those responsible.

To learn more on this topic visit HRW.org