Egyptian Cinema and the 2011 Revolution : Film Production and Representing Dissent

"Egypt's film industry is the largest in the Middle East, with an output that spreads across the region and the world. In the run-up to and throughout the 2011 Revolution, a complex relationship formed between the industry and the people's uprising. Both a form of political expression and a documentation of historical events, 'revolutionary' film techniques have contributed to the cultural memory of 2011. At the same time, these films and their makers have been the target of increasing state control and intervention. Ahmed Ghazal, drawing upon his own background in film-making, looks at the way in which Egyptian film has shaped, and been shaped by, the events leading up to and beyond Egypt's 2011 revolution. Drawing on interviews with protagonists in the industry, analysis of films, and archival research, he analyses the critical issues affecting the political economy of the industry. He also explores the technological developments of independent productions and the cinematic themes of dictatorship, poverty, corruption and police brutality that have accompanied the people's calls for freedom - and the counterrevolution that has tried to suppress them."-- Provided by publisher 1. Introduction -- 2. International Cinema and Revolutions -- 3. Historicising Egyptian Cinema -- 4. The Crisis of the Egyptian Film Industry -- 5. Representing the National Crisis: Films Before the Revolution -- 6. Constructing Cultural Memory: Fiction and Documentary Films -- 7. Technology and Revolution: The Continuity of 'Independent' Films -- 8. Conclusion -- 9. Bibliography -- 10. Index Cover Contents List of figures Introduction 1 Cinema and revolution 2 The crisis of the Egyptian film industry 3 Representing the national crisis: Films before the revolution, 2006–10 4 Constructing cultural memory: Fiction and documentary films that represent the revolution 5 Technology and revolution: The continuity of ‘independent’ films Conclusion Notes Filmography Bibliography Index