Our family had been asked to serve in Egypt in November 2009, and in January 2010, we began the process of being approved for the role in which we are currently serving.
We were officially announced days before the January 25, 2011 Revolution that eventually toppled Mubarak. Within one year, January 7, 2012, we had moved to Cairo.
The events of January 2011 and all the events that have continued in one unexpected domino fall after another have been the backdrop to our lives and ministry these past several years. Watching news, reading stories, speaking with Egyptians about hopes and fears, interpretations and implications, the conspiracy theories and the concrete--as well as trying to explain these things to concerned friends, family and curious supporters worlds away--all of this has even saturated into who we are at some levels.
That's what made the interest for the documentary, "The Square," all the more intriguing.
Here's a good CNN introductory video piece on the film:
As that video states, "The Square" has recently been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Film -- not only would this be a first for Egypt, but also a first for growing media mogul Netflix. Netflix is the online, streaming video giant that recently began providing original TV shows (some of which received Golden Globe nominations this year), and recently won the rights to begin filming a series of television shows based on Marvel comic superheroes. If that is half as successful as the movie franchise has become, added with the potential for an Oscar with this film, then watch out for Netflix becoming a major player in media.
But, I digress :)
I watched "The Square" via Netflix today. I wasn't sure what to expect, or how much of the recent events would be covered. I was honestly surprised to see the toppling of Mubarak very early within the film.
Then I was sucked into the drama of the real life characters dealing with military rule, the growth of
the Muslim Brotherhood's political presence. We watched several of these things unfold from a distance, but we were here for the events portrayed in the last 45 minutes or so of the film.
Yet, the brilliance of the documentary is not only taking you to the front lines of the street clashes, but into the thoughts and conversations, the arguments and the emotions of the main characters.
Maybe it is because we have been so close to these stories and events, but I thought this film was excellent. I felt it truly portrayed the struggles, the aspirations, the uncertainty, and the differences of opinion in what has been so many shades of gray in this continuing, ever-evolving revolution. There is, as you would expect from a documentary, a bit of language; and there are several graphic, gut-wrenching scenes of wounded and deceased--but this has been the reality here in Egypt.
If you are one of our supporters, and you sincerely want to understand what is going on in the hearts and minds of some of these you see on the streets in your nightly news stories, then watch "The Square". If anything, I think it will help you understand some of the recent events and the ongoing uncertainty, as well as help you to better #PrayForEgypt.
Thank you for your interest and ongoing prayers and support.
We were officially announced days before the January 25, 2011 Revolution that eventually toppled Mubarak. Within one year, January 7, 2012, we had moved to Cairo.
The events of January 2011 and all the events that have continued in one unexpected domino fall after another have been the backdrop to our lives and ministry these past several years. Watching news, reading stories, speaking with Egyptians about hopes and fears, interpretations and implications, the conspiracy theories and the concrete--as well as trying to explain these things to concerned friends, family and curious supporters worlds away--all of this has even saturated into who we are at some levels.
That's what made the interest for the documentary, "The Square," all the more intriguing.
Here's a good CNN introductory video piece on the film:
As that video states, "The Square" has recently been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Film -- not only would this be a first for Egypt, but also a first for growing media mogul Netflix. Netflix is the online, streaming video giant that recently began providing original TV shows (some of which received Golden Globe nominations this year), and recently won the rights to begin filming a series of television shows based on Marvel comic superheroes. If that is half as successful as the movie franchise has become, added with the potential for an Oscar with this film, then watch out for Netflix becoming a major player in media.
But, I digress :)
I watched "The Square" via Netflix today. I wasn't sure what to expect, or how much of the recent events would be covered. I was honestly surprised to see the toppling of Mubarak very early within the film.
Then I was sucked into the drama of the real life characters dealing with military rule, the growth of
 |
| Khalid and Ahmed are two of the real life characters you follow the documentary. |
Yet, the brilliance of the documentary is not only taking you to the front lines of the street clashes, but into the thoughts and conversations, the arguments and the emotions of the main characters.
Maybe it is because we have been so close to these stories and events, but I thought this film was excellent. I felt it truly portrayed the struggles, the aspirations, the uncertainty, and the differences of opinion in what has been so many shades of gray in this continuing, ever-evolving revolution. There is, as you would expect from a documentary, a bit of language; and there are several graphic, gut-wrenching scenes of wounded and deceased--but this has been the reality here in Egypt.
If you are one of our supporters, and you sincerely want to understand what is going on in the hearts and minds of some of these you see on the streets in your nightly news stories, then watch "The Square". If anything, I think it will help you understand some of the recent events and the ongoing uncertainty, as well as help you to better #PrayForEgypt.
Thank you for your interest and ongoing prayers and support.
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