When a young Egyptian woman travels from her village to Cairo to add her voice to the tens of thousands of Egyptians demanding an end to 60 years of military rule, she is arrested, beaten, and tortured by security forces and later punished and imprisoned by her family for daring to speak out. Unbreakable, she sets out in a search for freedom and social justice in a country in the grips of a power struggle, where there is little tolerance for the likes of her. Buoyed by the other activists she meets along the way, Hend Nafea’s story mirrors the trajectory of the Arab Spring—from the ecstasy of newfound courage to the agony of shattered dreams. In the end, despite crushing setbacks, it is resilience that sustains the hope for reform even in the darkest hours of repression.
Genre: Documentary
Includes 6 Short Films:
Our Oath - Tiny Bahrain was one of the few Gulf States to be swept up in the revolutionary fervor. But the government response was swift and brutal. Among those arrested in the crackdown were 50 medical professionals whose “crime” was helping injured protesters. Dr. Nada Dhaif was one of them. She was tortured in prison, and after her release, founded an organization that treats victims of torture and violence in Bahrain. 5 min. Bahrain
Life's Sentence - On December 17th, 2011, Hend Nafea, a young woman from a traditional, rural Egyptian family joined in a protest in central Cairo. Three years later, she was sentenced to life in prison for her participation on that day. In this piece -- filmed a day after the sentencing, when emotions are still raw -- Hend tells the story from her perspective. She maintains her innocence -- and her pride, and grapples with the meaning of the sentencing for herself and her country. 5 min. Egypt
Wake Up, Benghazi! - Salwa Bughaighis was a leader of Libya’s uprising from the first protests outside the courthouse in Benghazi to the fall of Gaddafi. But the jubilation of revolution soon gave way to the blood and tears of war. On June 25, 2014, Bugaighis was shot dead in her home by unknown militants, marking a new milestone in the country’s descent towards anarchy: the first female political assassination. 9 min. Libya
Brides of Peace - In the early days of Syria’s uprising, sisters Kinda and Lubna Zaour walked through the main souk in Damascus dressed as brides, a symbol of love, and carried banners calling for peace. They were arrested almost immediately. Upon their release, each sister became a bride once again under circumstances that also called for tremendous bravery: in the midst of a sectarian war and despite death threats from their extended family, both married outside of their religion. 10 min. Syria
Keeping the Promise -Even before the revolution, Ghazala Mhamdi was leading the fight for jobs, freedom and human rights against the corrupt regime of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Ben Ali. Tunisia is now a fledgling democracy, and Ghazala, the veteran anti-government activist, is running for parliament. 5 min Tunisia
When is the TIme - Belquis Al Lahabi was a leading voice in Sanaa’s Change Square. In this conservative country -- dubbed the worst in the world for women -- the revolution offered feminists like Belquis a faint glimmer of hope. But as the country descends into war, women’s issues are being pushed to the side. 7 min. Yemen