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Egyptian documentary "The Agenda and I" examines Mubarak conspiracy theories
Written by Sherif Awad July 29, 2011
Edited by Joseph Earnest July 29, 2011
Newscast Media CAIRO, Egypt-- Egyptian filmmaker Neveen Shalaby sometimes spelled (Nevine) has documented the political uprisings that have been taking place in Egypt since the beginning of the year. She also delves into the conspiracy theories surrounding the Egyptian revolution that led to the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak in her soon-to-be released documentary "The Agenda and I".
Over the past week, accusations of foreign affiliations and "agendas" have resurfaced on Egypt's political scene, following the accusation from Hassan al-Ruwainy, a member of the ruling military council, that the April 6 Youth Movement and a number of presidential hopefuls have received foreign funds and are trying to destabilize the country. The same types of accusations were previously used by the Mubarak regime, particularly as it struggled to survive the 18-day uprising beginning on 25 January.
Documentary filmmaker Neveen Shalaby’s latest film, "The Agenda and I," explores the logic behind such conspiracy theories.
Last year, Shalaby filmed "The Streets Are Ours," a documentary detailing the history of dissidence in Egypt beginning in 2000. She interviewed various social groups staging protests and sit-ins, such as workers and peasants; and in June 2010, she headed to Alexandria, where public dissent was mounting over the death of Khaled Saeed, a young man who was beaten to death by police forces. There she filmed various youth groups staging silent protests along the city's corniche.
To get a perspective from Mubarak's government, Shalaby also interviewed several members of the now-dissolved National Democratic Party, all of whom dismissed the possibility of a revolution happening in Egypt and interpreted the sit-ins as positive signs of the democracy the country was experiencing.
"The sit-ins and protests in 2010 all pointed to a revolution being underway," Shalaby said. So when the Tahrir Square sit-in began last January, Shalaby was there from day one, documenting the events as they unfolded. This footage, along with a selection of video clips collected from online social media sites, came to form "The Agenda and I."
"Police brutality against the Tahrir protesters in January broke down all existing inhibitions, and the people began fighting back," says Shalaby, who compares the withdrawal of police forces and subsequent jailbreaks to the events of 1977, more commonly known as "Intfadat al-Harameya" (The Thieves' Uprising).
"This reminds me of 1977, when poor people revolted against price hikes, and subsequently criminals broke out of jail, giving [former President Anwar] Sadat the excuse to call it 'Intifadat al-Harameya'", she adds.
But while Shalaby was filming at Tahrir, the word "agenda," used in colloquial Arabic to suggest having personal interests or foreign affiliations, caught her attention, as it was repeatedly used on the street and by state media. It eventually became the focus of her documentary.
Shalaby is creative in her approach, occasionally using music and narration to engage her viewers. "The Agenda and I" starts off with a clip of "Ded al-Hokoma" (Against the Government), a song by Egyptian rapper RaMy DoNjEwan, who became an artistic brand during the revolution. This is followed by footage showing a cop telling Shalaby that the Tahrir protesters have “foreign agendas.”
Moving from one clip to the next, Shalaby touches upon the role of state media and politicians in the revolution. Viewers see Khairy Ramadan, the ex-host of the national talk-show, "Misr Elnaharda" (Egypt Today), explaining the protests through another type of agenda, that of the Muslim Brotherhood. Former Vice President Omar Suleiman is then shown repeating the same argument in his famous interview with ABC's Christiane Amanpour a few days later.
"The Agenda and I" also captures the voice of the protesters. Three key characters, Khaled, Ramy and Nehat, illustrate the perspective of the educated middle class so pivotal to the revolution, as they talk about their hopes for a better future. As more people join in the protests at Tahrir, Shalaby records the misfortunes of old women and men, poor and suffering people who decide to express themselves and their sufferings with tears in their eyes.
Asked if she believes there really are foreign agendas conspiring against Egypt today, Shalaby responds, "We were able to use foreign inventions like Facebook, Twitter and the internet to turn the tables against the Mubarak regime. But we’ve also used them to overcome all others who try to manipulate or infiltrate us."
Shalaby is currently editing "The Agenda and I, 2," which will be about the Tunisian revolution.
Related article: The Agenda and I: Egyptian film by Neveen Shalaby>>
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