The Square, Directed by Jehane Noujaim

Panel discussion with Mohammed Bamyeh, Professor of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh, and Amani Attia, Professor of Arabic at the University of Pittsburgh. Moderated by Roger Rouse, Global Studies professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Plus a reception featuring an assortment of hummus, cheeses, bread, and pastries will be generously provided by Allegro Hearth Bakery

It's January of 2011, and the lights have gone out in Tahrir Square. We find ourselves at the beginning of a new era. Thousands of citizens camp out in tents, sacrificing the comforts of electricity and running water, utilizing their bodies as vehicles of protest. From Control Room director, Jehane Noujaim, this Oscar-nominated film contributes profound optimism, relatable human faces and a coherent narrative to a complex story. It is above all the sophisticated incorporation of the audience that creates such a gripping viewing experience, as hand-held camera footage intimately immerses us into the site of conflict. For Noujaim, an activist herself, such stark realism was no easy matter—after replacing her confiscated equipment with a smaller camera, she was arrested and even bitten over the course of shooting. These hindrances were well worth the trouble, as The Square provides an informative and nuanced view of Egypt's Revolution. Crucially, we are reminded of film's political function in shaping conscience and executing change; after all, it was largely through video clips that freedom advocates were able to spread awareness on a global scale. This crusade for civil liberty, however, is far from being over.