"½ Revolution" Wins Golden Award at Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival‏

Genre : Prizes
Contact details +2 022 7369130 MAD Solutions www.mad-solutions.com
Principal country concerned : Column : Cinema/tv
Release/publication date : 2012
Published on : 24/04/2012
Source : Communiqué de presse
http://www.half-revolution.com/

Cairo | Tuesday 24 April 2012:



½ Revolution which was co-directed by Karim El Hakim and Omar Shargawi, won The Golden Award in the long category at the 8th Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival, beating 17 other documentary films in the same category. Omar Shargawi received the award which was presented by Hamad Bin Thamer the Chairman of Al Jazeera network with Dr. Moncif Marzouki, the Tunisian president, in attendance and a large number of documentary filmmakers.


½ Revolution is the first documentary that deals with the 25th of Jan Revolution as an incomplete one, which aligns with the current political situation of Egypt and the calls for the completion of the revolution and the fulfilment of its demands.

In the last six months the film has traveled around the world taking part in fourteen Arab and international film festivals, it has been screened twice in Egypt, first as the opening film of the 8th Rencontres de l'image Film Festival, organised at the French Cultural Centre in Mounira, Cairo. It was also screened on Saturday, April 21, in Darb 1718 Culture Center. The documentary was also screened in the 8th Dubai International Film Festival in December 2011 and was the first Egyptian film to take part in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the United States. It also took part in Trondheim International Film Festival in Norway, Rio Documentary Film Festival in Brazil, Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival in Greece, Gothenburg Film Festival in Sweden and True/False Film Festival in Missouri.

The documentary is expected be screened by the end of this month at Al Kasaba Theatre and Cinematheque in Ramallah on April 27 & 29, and then in Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition at the upcoming Belfast Film Festival, held during the first two weeks of June in Northern Ireland.

½ Revolution is a personal, intimate story from the Arab Spring, a group of friends living in downtown Cairo struggle to stay together during the first chaotic days of the Egyptian Revolution. As waves of protests escalate in their neighbourhood next to Tahrir Square, directors Omar Shargawi and Karim El Hakim take to the streets to capture the historical events unfolding around them. But as the violence and uncertainty builds, Karim and his young family's apartment becomes an epicentre of activity as worried friends and neighbours flock together in a bid to survive the counter punches thrown by police and the armed gangs of pro-Mubarak thugs swarming the streets under their balcony.



The film is a personal unique experience for both of the two directors as they shot for 11 days starting from the first day of the 25th of January Revolution in downtown Cairo where they live. The film depicts what happened downtown from different perspectives that embody the reality of the Egyptian people's struggle during the revolution. The film records and shows a different side of what happened downtown, as it depicts the daily struggle of the Egyptian people during the initial days of revolution. Unique scenes contained in the film spotlight the crimes and conspiracies that took place during the events including the distribution of bags full of swords and knives to thugs by the secret police.

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

With the support of