Just like any teenager the young Egyptian Abdo is in search for his identity. One difference is, however, that his coming of age happens to be in the midst of the Egypt revolution: a time of bloody hostilities. Abdo finds his mission in street fights and soccer stadiums. On the Tahrir square he is a convinced revolutionist, while in the stadium he joins the worldwide ultra-movement. But what happens to the youthful striving for change when there is no point in anything, the revolution has come to an end and soccer is banned? Abdo also is an enthusiastic amateur film maker. His camera makes us witness streetfights as well as his everyday life, showing homeless people, underground travelers or garbage collectors. His video diary gives the viewer insight into Abdo’s life, who grows up in the turmoil of the revolution. The impact of the Arabic spring on his individual story exemplifies how
the radical changes in society affect his generation.
Iranian
It took Mehran Tamadon two years to convince four Shia clerics to take part in an unusual dialogue. The filmmaker, who lives in Paris, used his family’s idyllic country house as a place to simulate a plural society for one weekend. He begins by presenting his ideal for a secular Iran to the Mullahs. His guests do not lose their countenance, but instead answer his questions about the role of women in Iran, abortion, and freedom of speech in a calm and rhetorically precise way.
What ensues is a constant negotiation about what rules apply, what they are talking about, and what can be said. The Mullahs confront the host, who is critical of the regime, with his own story of immigration. They criticize “Mr. Secular” for his westernized identity, and they skillfully maneuver the conversation toward topics they prefer: How much ideology is acceptable in a plural society? How free can the press be? And how much singing by a woman can be tolerated in an Iranian hit song?
In his experiment, Tamadon is able to defuse tensions within the group repeatedly, creating comic situations unwittingly. While the women retreat within the house, the men have controversial discussions. The mood could change abruptly at any moment; the surreal chamber drama could become a political scandal. Although satisfied that the meeting took place, the filmmaker ultimately feels the consequences of his daring experiment.