Four Corners: Mar 19

Next Monday Four Corners features a documentary that tells the story of Egypt’s popular uprising and its aftermath, through the eyes of its people.

“Egypt: Children of the Revolution” was filmed by the BBC across a 12 month period.

In February 2011, millions of Egyptians came together to bring down their leader, Hosni Mubarak, in what many saw as a defining moment in the Arab Spring. For the past year the BBC has shadowed three young people from very different walks of life who were part of the uprising. We see them protesting, we see them rejoice as Mubarak stands down and we see their paths collide as their different visions for Egypt begin to conflict.

Ahmed Hassan was unemployed and poor, but hoped the new Egypt would deliver him the chance of work and a future. Activist Gigi Ibrahim, the daughter of wealthy industrialist, hoped the changes would create an Egypt that would respect all points of view. Tahir Yassi was tortured in Mubarak’s jails. He joined a new ultra-conservative party hoping that, in the wake of the old regime, he could realise his vision of a fundamentalist Islamic state in Egypt.

“Egypt: Children of the Revolution” follows these three people as they take to the streets, confront the military and campaign in the first national parliamentary elections. The film strives to understand the vision they each have for their country. Along the way, we visit the homes, the markets and the mosques, and observe the atmosphere of celebration as change begins. We also witness the growing tensions that have the capacity to set families at war with each other as their personal dreams for revolution begin to unravel.

Monday 19th March at 8.30pm ABC1.