Words of Witness

Czech-Egyptian director Mai Iskander examines Egypt's revolution through the eyes of Heba Afify, a 22-year-old Cairo journalist for an independent newspaper. For 30 years, President Hosni Mubarak kept his people in line through state security forces, who are believed to have tortured and killed as many as 30,000 citizens for speaking out against his regime. After the populace rose up against Mubarak in 2011—using cell phones, YouTube, Twitter, and other social networking technologies to share information and organize the seminal gatherings in Tahrir Square—and forced his resignation, the Army took over. Afify uses the same new technologies here to receive updates and pass on her findings to readers. One of her first articles focuses on people who have gone missing since the revolution (Afify suspects the involvement of state security). She also reports on a protest at state security headquarters, a referendum regarding the presidential election, and the aftermath of a church burning that exacerbates tensions between Christians and Muslims. While Afify's older sister and their mother, Hanan, don't share her interest in politics, her father supports her efforts. As the rioting continues, Hanan pressures Afify to stay out of harm's way, but the latter doesn't want to miss a story, so she squeezes into crowds with her notepad and camera in hand. Along the way, the rest of Afify's family starts to become more politicized; even Hanan is now eager to share her voting experience with her Facebook friends. Now a contributor to the New York Times, Afify offers a potent look at the newly powerful intersection between social media and a motivated citizenry. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)