Short Summary
My name is Nadim Fetaih - the director of this documentary. All throughout my childhood I would hear of heroic stories of my father's youth. He was - and will always be - my hero. While many children speak of their father as a hero, my reasoning was very different than most. My father, Mohamed Fetaih, was a political activist leader in the 70's in Egypt.
I always felt that it was my duty, as his son, to express his story, but there was never an ending as he always said that he and his fellow activists failed in unifying the people of Egypt to revolt against a dictatorial rule. He would live his days in Canada having lost hope, and slowly becoming more and more cynical.
Then, the great Egyptian revolution began on January 25th, 2011. With that beginning, came the ending to my father's 40 year long story. With it, came a spark in my father's eyes that I had never witnessed - a spark that signified his hope in the world once more. And so, in May 2011, my father and I set out to finalize his story and spread it to the world.
When my father left Egypt, having understood how his generation helped spur the January 25th revolution, I decided to stay - finding my own story blossoming in my home country.
And there in lies the story you will hopefully be funding; one of a father passing his torch of political activism to his filmmaker son.
This documentary gives an original and compelling view of the Egyptian revolution like no other filmmaker could show. It not only explains that it took generations of people (like my father) to stand up and start the revolution, but it also shows how it was the ignition to spark the 15M movement in Spain, and inevitably the Occupy movement that spread throughout the world - quite possibly sparking the very first global revolt.
What We Need & What You Get
Though my crew and I have been tirelessly working with no pay on this documentary, not all things in the film industry are free.
The following is a number of things we will be paying for using the money you have donated:
- Cleaning up the sound as well as mixing the product in professional studios.
- Music composition.
- Visual Effects to give the film a polished look.
- Colour Correction.
- Renting our edit suite.
- Website design and maintainance.
- B-roll from news agencies of the 70's (very difficult/expensive)
- Finally, entering into film festivals around the globe.
Though this seems like a little amount of work, it gets incredibly expensive. I have made a flexible number as the more funding we get, the more professional the product will be and thus the more powerful the message will be.
My perks are pretty average.
The Impact
I cannot say for sure what the impact will be - and I hope you can respect my honesty. But, upon saying this, I can tell you what I hope this film will do for the world.
Firstly, this documentary shows that the baby-boomer generation did much more to change the world than they ever believed possible through their political activism. They created a foundation that we are all able to stand on as we reach for a better tomorrow. My hope is that this film is able to lift the dust from their souls, that it may do what the Egyptian revolution did for my father; give them hope and make them lose the veil of cynicism that has befallen upon much of their generation.
Second, I hope to show every single movement, person, or group of people fighting for freedom around the world that they are not alone. We are all fighting the same fight - the root of it being to regain the dignity that was once sold. This is a world-wide fight and with this fight comes a unity that I hope to show the world. I believe a film that is boldly able to explain this, will give hope around the globe while helping people understand that they are not alone as they fight for however long and hard they need to.
Third, I hope that those who feel they are unable to help out are able to see what one person's abilities may do to help the movement. I have always been the black-sheep in my family, being the only artist and choosing to be a filmmaker. But, through my skills I have chosen to fight the same fight that others do. I hope others acknowledge that they maybe able to use their skills to help spread a beautiful message of their own, or to help impact the movement - no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Finally my hope for this film is to help empower people around the globe. I hope to show them that there is another way, that we need only stand up to change the world. In my biggest dreams, I hope that this film could do such a job, but if it doesn't my promise to you is that I will not stop until one of my films do. My films will always be revolutionary, they will always speak to those who fight for freedoms, and they will always be films which give voice to the people through this powerful medium.
Other Ways You Can Help
I completely understand that people may not be able to help fund. But! There are still ways you can help out.
First, if you have been to many protests, no matter what country you are in, and videotaped it - no matter the quality - then I ask you to share your footage with this documentary. In order to do so you can e-mail pictures.revolutionary@gmail.com. If we use your footage, then we will credit you as a camera operator. You will receive a free DVD of this film, and be able to tell your friends that you helped create a beautiful, moving, and powerful documentary.
Second. If you are not active in protests, but still believe in the message I am spreading, then I beg you to spread the links to our sneak peek and future videos that will be posted throughout my campaign. Part of my hopes for this documentary is to inspire others to act. Be the first to do so! Spread this message of regaining our human dignity. Help show the world that we can learn from one another, that we can learn from the past, and that we can act to make tomorrow a better place for all of us.
