Screening of "The Square" 7-17-14

July 17th, Thurs. 7 p.m. Film Showing, "The Square, The Egyptian Revolution and the Story Behind the Headlines" a film by Jehane Noujaim

Below is an excerpt of a review by Walter Addiego on SFGate:

"'The Square' is a powerful documentary about the would-be revolution that began in 2011 with protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Much of the movie's force comes from personalizing the events that led to Hosni Mubarak stepping down after 30 years in power.
Egyptian American filmmaker Jehane Noujaim ("Control Room") sympathizes with the protesters, giving us the view from the streets filled by mostly young idealists hoping to push their nation toward democracy. Emblematic of these highly energized activists is Ahmed Hassan, a passionate and personable man in his mid-20s who declares, "Good things are coming! Good things!"
The widely publicized protests in the square generated this kind of intense optimism, which briefly seems justified, and reached a peak when Mubarak resigned in February 2011. Much was made of the use of social media, cameras and computers by the demonstrators to win support in the outside world.
A different perspective is offered by Magdy Ashour, an older family man whose membership in the Muslim Brotherhood, which long opposed Mubarak, led to his imprisonment and torture by the regime.
The idealists soon learn that their erstwhile comrades in the Brotherhood have their own agenda. When Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood's presidential candidate, is elected and quickly takes on even more powers than his predecessor, protests erupt again, leading to his ouster."