SYNOPSISThisisafilmbyandaboutworkers.Out/IntheStreetswillfeatureworkersoftheshutdownGlucoseandStarchFactoryinTurah,Cairowhostageaperformance,inspiredbytheirstrugglesandstories.ThefilminterlacesdocumentaryandficontoseetheEgypanrevoluonfromaworkers’perspecvebeyondthefactory’sheavygates,beyondthefrozenas-semblylinesandrustymachines.Thisisnotonlyafilm.Throughthepublicperformanceintheneighborhoodsoftheworkerswewillopenanewpublicspacefordiscourse,forengagementwiththeissuesthatplagueaccommunitystrugglingunderthepoliciesofcapitalismthatexcludepeopleforthesakeofthebosses,thebanksandrulers.Wewanttochallengeboththevisualdiscourseoftheroleofworkersinfilm,aswellasthepolicalnarraveofwhomthisrevoluonismadeupofinEgypt.

HD | 90’ | Egypt | 2013 | Hybrid | Seen Films | Dir. Jasmina Metwaly / Philip Rizk

IntheLumiereBrother’s“Workersleavethefactory”,ittakes45secondstoemptythefactoryofitsbodies(workers).For45secondswe(spectators)watchtheworkers(actors)leavetheirfactory.Itcouldbeabeginningoranendofafilm.Welookatthefirstcameraeyeinthehistoryoffilmmakingpoinngatthegatesofthefactoryandwerealizethatahundredyearslater,thelifeofworkershasnotbeenexploredinthecinemaenoughandthatmostfilmswerenotdrawnintotheireverydayexistence,insideoroutsidetheirspaces.“Workersleavethefactory”andwelearnnothingaboutthem,whwhattheythink,wheretheyaregoingoriftheyareangryorcontentwiththeirwork.“Out/Inthestreets”willtakeyouinsideandoutsidethefactorytoengagetheseworkersonthestreetsofsouthernCairooutsideofthegatesofaStarch&Glucosefactory.

Out/IntheStreetsisneitheradocumentarynoraficonfilm;ratheritsnarravewillinterlacedocumentaryandficonfootagewithoutdrawingaclearlinebetweenthetwo.Thiswillallowustodepictbothaccidental,unintenonal;andactedorre-enactedmaterial.Inthefilmwewillinterlacethreemodesoffootage.Itwillincludedocumentaryfootagecapturingworkersintheirhomes,informalortemporaryjobs,theireverydaylives.Thefilmwillalsoincludefootageoftherehearsalsoftheworker/actorspreparingforatheatricalperformancebasedontheirlives.Thethirdmodeoffootagewillbethedocumewillbethedocumentaonoftheplayitselfperformedinfrontofanaudienceintheneighborhoodtheylivein.

InthefirstmodeoneoftheworkerswewillfilmisTarekfromthevillageofEl-SheikhEtman,afewkilometerssouthofthefactoryjustacrosstheNile.Tarek’svillagehasacloserelaonshipwiththeTurahStarch&Glucosefactory.WhenthefactorywasnaonalizedduringGamalAbdelNasir'spresiden-cyoneofthemanagersinchargeofemploymentwasfromEl-SheikhEtmanandhiredmanyofhisneighbors.Tarekwilltellusaboutwhatthefactorymeanttohimandhisfather.WhileTarekwasgrowinguptheStarch&Glucosefactorywasalwayspartofhisenvironment.Hisfatherwenttoworkeachdadayatthefactoryand,whilehewenttoschool,healwaysknewthatwhenhegrewuphewouldinasenseinheritajobatthefactory.Tarektookthejobwhenhewas22,nineteenyearslaterthenewadministraonkickedhimout.WewillfilmTarekinhisnewoccupaon.Tareknowworksasadaylaborer,somemesbreakingdownwalls,somemesbuildingthem,carryingbricksorlayingthem.AtmesTarekworkstwodays,thenhewaitsthreeforwork.Somemeshefindsnoworkatallforweeksonend.YouwillseeTarekduringtheworkingdaysandduringthewaingdays.Ononeworkdayhehegetsupbeforedawn,preparesforprayers,praysandthendrinksteawithhiswifeSufeya.WefollowTarekonhiscommutetowork,changingbusesthreemestoreachFesvalCity–oneofCairo’snewgatedcommunies.It’salongdayinthesun,whereTarekjoinshundredsofotherworkersbuild-ingvillasinthefutureCairo–acitythathasnoplaceforpeoplelikeTarek.Wewillalsofilmtheworkerathome,dayaerday,withoutwork.Wewillfollowhimtotheahwa–thelocalcoffeeshop–,wherehemeetswithhisfriends-someofthemoldcolleaguesfromtheGlucoseandStarchfactory.TheTheretheytalkaboutthepast,theirdayjobsandarevoluonthatbroughtthemnochangeatallbutthehopethatanewgovernmentwillreversetheprivazaonoftheirfactory.

Wehavefilmedfootageduringthefactoryoccupaon,ofthemachinesthatletowaste,unusedforseveralyearsnow,muchoftheequipmentalreadytornoutandsoldpiecemeal.WehavefilmedRagabtellingusofthefirstmeheoverheardhisbosstakeorderstosellbrandnewmotorsinthefactorystoragetoascrapmetaldealerbytheton-asifthemachineswereworthless:thisispartofthelogicofprivazaon.“Themachinessllhadtheirstorelabelandpricetagsonthem,”Ragabyellsintothecamera.InFebruaryof2011theTurahworkersoccupiedtheirfactoryanddemandedthatitrunagagainandtheforcedoutworkersbereinstated.Forweekstheworkerswaitedforaresponsefromtheauthories.Theoccupaoninandofitselfwasastepofvictory.Forthefirstmetheywereabletotakecontroloftheworkspaceinwhichtheyhadtoiledforyears.During theoccupaonoftheTurah

TREATMENT

Starch&GlucosefactoryAbdallah,oneoftheworkers,exclaimed:“TodayIamnotimprisoned,notfrominsideoroutandIhavethefreedomtosayit.Itisexactlythisthattheyaredemanding[inTahrirSquare]andIamnotagainstthem,Iamwiththem”(Out/IntheStreetsSequence1,01:05-01:10).Abdallahwasabouttolosehisjob-resistanceishisonlyopon.Onedaymilitarypersonnelarrived,touredthefactoryandlistenedtotheworkers’storyandexpressedsolidaritywiththeirprotest.Andyet,thisempoweringmomentofresistancelastedonlyunlthemilitaryreturned.Thismetheykickickedtheoccupyingworkersoutofthesiteandlockedupthefactorywithordersfortheworkerstonotenterthepremisesagain.Abdallahhascancer,highbloodpressure,anddiabetes.“HowamIsupposedtosurviveoutsidethefactorylikethis?Givemeareasontolive,”heyelledintoourcamera.Mahmoud,anotherworkerwhoacceptedapifullylowend-of-servicepayment,tellsus,“likethisweareleoutinthestreet.”

WefilmedMohamedAbdallahinhiscarpentryshop.“Iboughtthosenineplankssevenmonthsagoandtherearesllfourofthemle,”hetellsuswithalaugh.“ThelastthingImadewasabedfivemonthsagoandaliletabletwoweeksago.AllIdoissitaroundalldayandalternatesingononeofthesethreechairs,”heexplains.Thefateoftheothercras-meninthevillageisnodifferent.TheglassshopownerandthemechanicsingacrossthestreetfromMohamed'sworkshoparealsosingontheirfrontsteps,watchingthestreet,waingforacustomerthatwillnotcome.Thisstateofboredom,oflackofincomearethecconsequenceofprivazaon.Notonlyareemployedworkersforcedintotheinformalsector,thecommunity'sgeneralabilitytobuyiscrippled.MohamedtoldusthatheopenedtheworkshopfiveyearsagorightaerhesignedhisownredundancypapersandseledforameagerEGP375(~€50)amonthrerementpayment.Themoneybarelycovershiswork-shop'srent,buthecan'tgiveuphopethatonedaybusinesswillbebeer.

Ragabisoneofthethreeworkerswhohasnotyetacceptedanend-of-servicepaymentdespitemulplethreatsandaerthefactoryadministraonrelocatedhimthreemes.Thismanisremarkable.DespitethreatsoffabricangacaseagainsthimRagabisnotwillingtogiveuphisjobinordertohaveastrongerchanceofwinningthemulplecourtcaseshehasraisedagainsttheillegimateprocessoftheprivazaonofthefactory.Aerreceivingawagecutthecompanymanagementmovedhimtothecompanygarageawayfromthefactoryhelovesandfarawayfromhiscolleagueswhewherehemightjustsrupmoretrouble.AtthegaragewewillfilmRagabtellusaboutthecourtcaseheraisedagainstthenewfactoryowners.Heiscertainthedealwascorruptanddespitealloddshebelievesthefactorywillbenaonalizedagain.

I

Inthesecondmodeoffootagewewillfilmtheworkersrehearsefortheirperformance.BeforeGamalAbdElNasirhadtheAswanHighDambuilttheNilewatersusedtofloodthebanksoftheNilejustsomemetersawayfromHassaneen'shouse.FollowingthecompleonoftheDamin1965theNilestoppedfloodingthebanksannually,forcingmanyofthefarmerstofindnewjobsoncetheearthstoppedbeingasfruiulasitoncewas.WewillfilmasHassaneenrehearsesengaginghisfatherwhoisconvincinghimtotakeajobattheTurahfactoryacrossthebanksoftheNile.“Father,thepayissolow,hohowcouldItakesuchajob?HowwillIeversaveupenoughmoneytogetmarried?FatherIamafarmer,notafactoryworker!”Hassaneentellshisfather.WewillfilmTarekalongsidehisformercolleaguesAnwarandSaleh.WewillcaptureSalehbeforethecamerasetwithinthegatesofthecrumblingGlu-cosefactoryandrepeang,againandagain,“thiscannotgoonlikethis,thearroganceofthisman,Ican'tstandit.StarngtomorrowIambringingmywifeandkidsandIwillstayunlhegivesintoourdemands.”ThelineisbasedonfootagefilmedduringtheoccupaonoftheStarchandGlucosefacto-ryinFebruary2011,whentheremainingworkersattheTurahplantdecidedtoholdasit-ininthefactorytopreventitsdestrucon.Inthedramazaonofthismomeofthismoment,Salehissurroundedbyhisfellowworkersastheyheatedlydiscusswhattodonext.Salehisoneofthosewillingtotakeriskprotesng.Inthosedayswhenthegeneralstookpoweritwasnotcertainwhatthe[government’s/militaryjunta’s?]reaconwouldbetosuchanactofprotest.Thelastmetheworkerswentonstrike,thefactoryownercalledthereredgeneralassigned(notclear)securityatthefactory.StatesecurityagentscamequicklyandarrestedSalehandtwoothermen.Thestrikewasquicklycalledtoanendandtherestoftheworkersreturnedtoworkthefollowingdayfearingafatesimilartothatoftheircolleagues.InthethirdmodewefilmSalehperformthesamesceneinacrowdedstreetinhisneighborhood.AsSalehactsoutthismomentthefilmaudiencejustsawhimpraccesomanymes,awomaninthecrowdgetsupandshouts,“it’strue,Isawthesecurityforcesbringhimbacklateonenight,beatenandbruised.”WewillfilmareenactmentofSalehbeingbeateninprisonandthenstandingtallagainbeforehisfellowworkersafewyearslater,afewyearsolder,planningyetanotherprotest.WWefilmSalehasheconnuestoengagehisfellowworkers.Hehaspaidthecostandknowswhathewants,itisclearthatsomeoftheothersaresllun-decided.Beforethecamera,thedebateunravelsastheconvincedtrytopersuadetheunconvinced.BeforeacrowdRagabwillpresenthisreasonsfornotleaving,hewillexplainhowheperceivesthefactorytobenotjustaworkspace,butpropertyunderthecollecveownershipoftheworkerswhoworkthere.“Ourancestorsbuiltthisplacewiththeirsweatandblood,whyshouldthesenewbossesreceiveanewcareveryyearandearnenoughtobuymulplevillas,whilebuymulplevillas,whilewegetnothing?”Herehispersonalthoughtsorconversaonswithcloseworkcolleaguesbecomeapublicdiscoursewiththeneighborhood.Wewillfilmtheensuingdebateandresponsefromanaudiencewhoselivesareaffectedandalteredbytheprivazaonofafactorythatsupportedmanyofthecommunity'sinhabitantsforgeneraons.Theunemploymentoftheoverthreehundredworkershasaffectedtheenrevillage'seconomy,everyonewantsthoseworkerstobebackatwork-butthereisnonetobefound.Thelaid-offworkersfromtheStarch&GlucosefactorylivinginEl-SheikhEtmanarenotaspecialcase;therearehundredsofthousandsofworkersinsimilarsituaonsacrossEgypt.Rather,thisgroupofworkersisacommunitythatMetwalyandRizkhaveformedastrongbondwithoverthepasttwoyears.TheirrealitypresentsamicrocosmoftherecentmoderneconomichistoryofEgypt,asthisformofprivazaonhappenednotonlyinthisfactorybutinworksitesalloverthecountry.Furthermore,thisreality,resulngfromeconomicpoliciesinventedbyeconomistsinfinancialinstuonsliketheWorldBankandIMWorldBankandIMF,hasreshapedtherealityofcommuniesallacrosstheworld,andespeciallyinthesouthernhemisphere.Similarexamplesofde-stroyedcommuniescanbefoundfromRiodeJaneirotoAddisAbaba,andindustrialareasalloverIndiaandChina,reallytheworldover.Thefinalfilmwillintegratethethreedescribedmodesoffootageinamannerthatinterlacestherealityofthedocumentaryfootagewiththerealityoftheactedperformances.Thefilmwillnotsimplydepictthemakingofatheatricalperformancebutquesonthetypicalstrictdivisionsbetweendocu-mentaryandficon.

PROCESS

In“ThePolicsofAesthecs,”JacquesRancierewrites,“Thenewartofnarrave,film...broughttoitshighestpotenalthedoubleresourceofthesilentimprintthatspeaksandthemontagethatcalculatesthevaluesoftruthandthepotenalforproducingmeaning.Documentaryfilm,filmdevotedtothe‘real’,isinthissensecapableofgreaterficonalinvenonthan‘ficon’film,readilydevotedtoacertainstereotypeofaconsandcharacters.”(Ranciere,2006,Thepolicsofaesthecs:Thedistribuonofthesensible,38)

BByinterlacingdocumentaryfootagewiththefootageofrehearsalsandtheensuingficonperformancewebelievewewillbeabletobringnewmeaningintobeing.Throughthepublicperformanceintheneighborhoodsoftheworkerswehopetoopenanewpublicspacefordiscourse,forengagementwiththeissuesthatplaguecommuniesstrugglingunderthepoliciesofcapitalismthatexcludepeopleforthesakeofthebosses,thebanksandrulers.

Weaimtoengagewithworkersinacreaveprocessthatallowsthemtoshapeandcreatetheirvisionsofaperformanceoftheirlivesastheyseefit.Forthisreasonwearenotabletosubmitascriptinadvancebecausewearenottheauthorsofthescript.Ascriptwillbedevelopedduringtheinialphaseoftheprojectincollaboraonwiththeworkerswhosedailylivesmakeupthecontentof“Out/intheStreets.”Wewillbeginwithasixmonthsdevelopmentstageduringwhichmewewillspendmewith,listen,filmandrecordaudioofworkersoftheTurahfactorytellingabouttheireverydaylives.DuringthisperiodofdDuringthisperiodofdevelopmentwewillspendmewithworkers,hearingtheirstories,recordingaudioandvideowithformerworkersinEl-SheikhEtman.Someofthesestory-tellerswilllaterbecometheperformersoftheirownlives.Weexpectthattheperformanceofamateuractorswillhaveparculareffects.Theactorswhoarealsotheprotagonistsoftheirownlivesbringasenseofurgencytothefilmthatwouldnotbepossiblewithprofessionalactors.Furthermore,wewanttoaempttobreakdowntheusualbarrierbetweenactedandactor.Thisisalreadythecasewiththenon-acnon-actorswhobecometheactors.Further,thepossibilityofspontaneousreaconsemergingfromamongtheaudiencehasthepotenaltobreakdownthebarriertypicallycreatedbetweenanaudienceandactorswhoarestrangers,thespontaneitycouldbreakdownthespacebetweenthestageandislesoftheon-lookingaudience.FollowingthedevelopmentphaseRizkandMetwalywilldevelopascriptbasedonthestoriescollecve.Next,atheatredirectorwillworkwiththeworkersonhowtoperformtheirlivesandhowtodramazetherealitytheylive.JasminaMetwalyandPhilipRizkwillRizkwillcapturetheprocessoftransformingworkersintoactors.Someoftheperformancestheactorswillperformtothecamera,atothermomentswewillfilmastheypraccebeforeanimaginedaudience.Inthefinalphaseoftheprojecttheactorswillgoontoperformaplay,whichthedirectorswillcaptureonfilm.Inpost-produconRizkandMetwalywillinterlacethethreeformsoffootagefilmed.Theywillmixthedocumentaryfootageoftheinialdevelopmentprocess,footageoftheworkersasrehearsingactors,aswellastheperformancesbeforeanaudience.Thisformofinterlacingwillbeananexperimentalprocessandcannotbescriptedinadvance.Itwillmingledifferentmodesoffootage,quesoningthenecessityforthestrictseparaonofdocumentaryfromficon,documentaonfromre-enactment.Movingbeyondthelimitaonofusingdocumentaryfootageforrealeventswillallowforthecapturingofthecommunity'sengagementwiththecontentoftheperformance.Herebythedirectorshopetovisuallyportrayacollecvereacontothedestrucvenatureofcapitalism.Theaimofthisprocessofinterminglingistomovebeyondtheindividuizingnatureoftheinterviewanddocumedocumentaryformat.Thefilm-makersseektocaptureacollecvevoicealongsidetheindividualposionofspecificworkers.Privazaonruinsfamiliesandsociees,notjustthelivesofindividuals.

STYLE Thefilmwillhavenovoice-overandwillusethevoicesofworkerswhenspeakingtothecameraasmontageoverimageryoftheirworklivesandevery-daylifesurroundings.Tousevoice-overwouldbetooleading.Thedirectorsaimnottopainttheirpictureofwhatishappeningamongsttheworkersduringtheperiodofrevoluon,butpaintwiththem,listentoworkersspeak,filmworkersperform.Thevisualstylewillbeaworkinprogress,itcannotbescripted,forthechangespossibleamongstworkerswhospeaktheirpointofviewcannotbepredicted.Somescenicdocumentaryfootagewillbeusedwithinthetheusedwithinthetheatricalstagewithinthecommunies.RizkandMetwalywillcaptureboththeworkersspeakingtheirexperiencesinandaerthefactoryandfilmtheminoldandnewlocaons,intheirhomes,aloneandonthestreets.Butthesestorieswillalsobere-told,performedbytheworker-performers,atmestheirownstories,atmesthestoriesoftheirneighbors,strangersorcolleagues.Thoseperformanceswillatmesbedirectedatthecamera,addressinganinvisibleaudiencebehindthelens,atmesperformedonastagewithorwithoutanaudience.Eisensteinusedan“intelle-ctualmoctualmontage”withtheaimof“construcngandcombiningshotstocommunicatealargeridea.”Thedirectorswillaempttouseasimiliarapproachofmontagetocommunicatethelivedrealityoftheworkerstheyencounter,hearandsee.Thisisasubjecvefilm.Thefilmwillfeaturenomusicalscoreandinsteadusethesoundsofthefactory,itssurroundings,thesoundsoftheworkersdailylivesastherhythmofthefilm.MuchofthemusicusedinfilmsinandaboutEgyptfeatureorientalmusicinanefforttomakethevisualdepiconmore“orientalist”,toplaceitintheitinthecontextofitsperceivedculturalenvirons.Weseenoneedtodothatfirst,becausewedonotseektoentertainanaudience,nortoaddemoo-nalforce,ratherwewanttolettheimages,thestories,thescenesexudetheiremoonalpower.Therealityofprivazaon,theexploitaonofaworkingclass,thepriorizaonoftheinvestorandthesovereigns’sheddingofmoreandmoreoftheirresponsibilityofanytypeofsocialcontractisacommonoccurrenceacrosstheworld.Consequently,thedirectorswillavoidmaking“Out/IntheStreets”strictlyunique:thesoundsofthisfactory,couldbethesoundsofasoundsofanyfactory.MetwallyandRizkdonotaimtocarryoutdocumentaonaboutaparcularcase:thisfactoryanditsworkers,past,presentandfuturestandasamodelforsomanyplaces.Thisfactorycouldlieanywhere;theseworkerscouldbeanyone;thisrevoluoncouldbetakingplaceevery-where.Thespacewillplayaroleinpresentaon,wherethefilmwilltakeplaceandwheretheactorswillperformtheirpolicalrealies.Thedirectorsdonotaimtoperformthetheatricalperformancewithintheusualhallsoftheatrewhereaperformancetakesplaceatadistancefromtheaudience,beforeatypitypicalmiddleclassaudience.Wewillbringtheconfrontaonofperformancetotheindustrialcies,totheeshwaeyat-thespontaneousneighborhoods-ofEgyptandwherepossiblewithinfactoryspaces.Thisconfrontaon,withanaudiencewhocanidenfywiththecontentofthematerialpresentedandrelatestothesharedspaceoftheperformanceisavitalpartofthestorythatthefilmbuildson.

APPENDIX: WORKERS IN EGYPT

Alreadypriortothe25thofJanuaryworkerprotestsspreadallacrossthecountry.In2006,24,000workersattheMahallatexleplantwentonstrikeandsucceededinachievingtheirdemandsofpayrises.Thestrikesfromthatonetexlefactoryinspiredanewwaveofstrikesacrossthecountrynotseenforovertwentyyears.Theseindustrialaconshelpedinspirethepossibilityforrevoluon.OnFebruary9th2011thousandsofpublictransportworkers,TelecomworkersandanumberofothersiteswentonstrikejoiningthenearbydemonstratorsinTahrirsquarejustdaysbeforetheousterofex-presidentHosniMubaHosniMubarak.AmongstthebusdriversandemployeeswasMohamedwhobroughthispaycheckwithhimandheldituphightothecamera-proofofhisexploitaonatthehandsoftheadministraon,hisneglectatthehandsoftheregimeandexpressinghisuerdesperaonindemandingfundamentalchangeofthestatusquo.TheaddionofoccupaonsatdozensofworksitestotheTahriroccupaonthathadbegunJanuary28thbroughtabouttheexileofatyrant.Oneworkermayresistexploitaonatthehandsoftheadministraonofthefactorysheworksin.Foranotheritmeansprotesngonthe

camera-proofofhisexploitaonatthehandsoftheadministraon,hisneglectatthehandsoftheregimeandexpressinghisuerdesperaonindemandingfundamentalchangeofthestatusquo.TheaddionofoccupaonsatdozensofworksitestotheTahriroccupaonthathadbegunJanuary28thbroughtabouttheexileofatyrant.Oneworkermayresistexploitaonatthehandsoftheadministraonofthefactorysheworksin.ForanotheritmeansprotesngonthestreetsinandaroundTahrirsquare.Forothersitmeansoccupyingabusdepottodemandthegovernmenttocompensatehimhimforunpaidbonuses.Forothersitmeanssellingclothesfromstreetstalls,outsidethejurisdiconofataxregime,whichtheycan’tafford.Whatis,infact,lilenotedisthatintheongoinguprisinginEgyptmuchofthewellspringofrevoltcomesfromworkersofan“informal”sector.DespitetheimportantroadthattheypavedpriortoJanuary25th,workerswithcontractedworkarelesswillingtoriskthelongevityoftheirjobsandcommitfullytorevolngagainsttheauthories.TheheaviestrisktakenatthefrontlinesoftheEgypanrevoluonweretakenbyanunderclassmadeupoftheunemplunemployedandinformalizedworkerswhoriskedtheirlivesfighngadecrepitdictatorshipthatexploited,torturedandsuppressedthemforyears.Out/IntheStreetswillaempttoapproachthecomplexityofthisrealitybystarngwithinatypicalworksite,theStarch&GlucosefactoryinTurahandthenmoveoutsideittoencounterworkersthattodaydominateEgypt'sworkforce:theinformalworkers.

In2004theAmericanaGroupownedbyKuwainaonalNasiral-KhorafypurchasedtheEgypanStarch&GlucosefactoryundertheauspicesofUSAID,whoplwhoplayedaleadingroleinassisngtheEgypanauthoriesputitandhundredsofotherfactoriesupfortender.In2010,thenewownerinformedthegovernmentthattheTurahfactoryneededsignificantrenovaons.SixmonthslatertheworkersweresurprisedtofindoutthatwhatwasmeantbyanoverhaulwasthedisintegraonoftheTurahfactorywhichliesalongthebankoftheNile,thesellingofthemachineryasscrapmetalandthefiringofemployees.Manyoftheworkersreactedbyorganizingastriketoprotesttheilltreatmentbythenewadministraon.Aswasusualinthosedays,theccompanyheadcalledonStateSecuritytothreatentheworkerstoendtheirsit-in.Aertwooftheworkerswerekidnappedandthreatenedbythesecurityapparatustheothersendedtheirdemonstraon.SincetheAmericanaGrouppurchasedthecompanythenewadministraonhasforced700ofjustover1300workerstoleavetheirworkplacesbyinmidangandcoercingthem.Mostoftheseworkerswereforcedintothe“informal”economyascontractedjobsarealmostimpossibletocomebyinEgypttoday.

BIOGRAPHIES

Philip Rizk, firstasajournalistandthenasafilm-makerandacvisthasbeenfollowingandengagingtheworkerstruggleinEgyptsince2008.In2009hewasinvolvedinacampaignthatbroughtnaonalaenontothedemandofaminimumwageforallEgypans.AtthestartofthecampaignminimumwagewasLE35(€5)permonth.FromJuly2010llAugust2011RizkcarriedoutaresearchprojectwithworkersintheindustrialcityofMahallawithsupportfromtheSEPHIS(sephis.org).Therehecollectedaudiointerviewswithworkersabouttheirnarraveofwhathappenedintheimportantworkeruprisingthatstartedtherein2006.MemberofMosireenCollecve(hp://mosireen.org).

Jasmina MJasmina Metwaly isanarstandfilmmakerwithafocusonvideosince2007.In2009,shecompletedaPostgraduateDiplomaattheByamShawSchoolofArtatCentralSaintMarns.Sheistheco-founderof‘8784hproject’andXRGalleryinLuboń,Poland.SinceJanuary2011shehasbeendoingfilmworkforthecampaignNoToMilitaryTrialsandworkedonaseriesofshortdocumentariesdepicngissuesrelatedtotheEgypanrevoluon.ManyofthesevideosfeaturetheroleofworkersasmainprotagonistsinthebringingaboutoftheJanuary25Revoluon.Since2011sheisamemberofStoryDoc,theDoc,theEducaonalInstuteforDocumentaries.In2012shehasparcipatedinthe7thBerlinBiannualwheresheheldaworkshopforyoungcurators.SheisamemberofMosireenCollecve(hp://mosireen.org)creangandsupporngrevoluonarycizenmedia.

Mostafa YoussefYoussef’srecentshortfilm,BlueDive,wasofficiallyselectedforInternaonalFilmFesvalRoerdamandDohaTribecaFilmFesval.Hisearliershortfilms:Shawarbyst.,andCallOfMadnesswonnumerouslocalawards,includingJuryPrizeat“RencontreDeL’Image,”andwereinternaonallyselectedforfesvalsincludingNYU'sNextReel,MediterraneoFilmFesval,UpandComingFilmFesval,Cinemadamare.HedirectedandproduceddocumentariesforNGOsincludingCare,ACT,EnvironmentTelevision,andforbroadcasterssuchasAlJazeera.Inrecentevents,Youssefhelpedfoundhhp://www.thawramedia.com,aplaormtoempowercizenmediaandjournalism,heisamemberoftheMosireenCollecve(hp://mosireen.org).

Seen FilmsSeenFilmsisaCairo-basedfilmhousewhichproducesandsupportsfilmandmediaworkfulfillinganacveroleinsociety'songoingsocialandpolicaldiscourse.Seenendeavorstoworkforthefullrepresentaon,self-realizaon,andposiveengagementofallmarginalizedgroups—whetherduetogender,urbancentrism,economicrestricon,orreligion.Seenisinterestedandworksinfieldsofdevelopment,implementaon,presentaonanddidistribuonofcreaveprojectsreachingbeyondcommonaesthecsandconfinementsofthemovingimage.Seenaimstoopenupcinemaandfilmmakingtoinnovaveformsofinteraconwiththepublic,dealingwithtopicsandstoriesthatarebothneededorsuggestedbysociety.Weseekthedevelopmentandprogressoftradionalframeworksofthemainstreammedia(programs,soapoperas,films,documentariesandfeaturefilms)toevolveintomorecrucialandinherentforms.Lastly,webelieveintheinnatenatureofstories—whetherrealorimagined—tothemovingimage.Cinemaistheartofthevisualistheartofthevisualstory,andallouraenonistopromoteaesthecqualityandartinthesestories.Asthesestoriesprogresswithandbytheaudience,wereachacommonexperience,makingandscreeningfilms,aspartofawholesociety.

ANINTIFADATINTIFADATFILM|SEENFILMS|

Abouttheproject|www.vimeo.com/infadat/ounthestreets1

ThisfilmissupportedbyTheArabFundforArtsandCulture|AFAC|info@seenfilms.com