With a (Somewhat Gentle) Rebel Yell
Concordia-Founded Documentary Exhibition Network Closes Summer Screenings Series with Film about Global Rebellions
Everyday Rebellion, a documentary produced by Golden Girls Filmproduktion and Film Services GmbH, will close Cinema Politica Montreal’s summer screenings at La Place de la Paix on September 1.
The film was written and directed by the Riahi Brothers, Arash and Arman T. Riahi, known for works like The Souvenirs of Mr. X, Exile Family Movie, and the short film Elektrotrash.
This particular film, however, was a collaboration between the two brothers as well as a cross-media documentary that sheds light on how the struggle for rights can be won through nonviolent actions rather than violent ones; tactics that were formulated specifically so as not to provoke police officers into attacking and arresting the protestors immediately, avoiding negative confrontation rather than spreading distress and fear.
Everyday Rebellion covers varied international economic, social and political issues. The film includes interviews with members of different activist groups, including Occupy Wall Street and the Ukrainian radical feminist group FEMEN, and shows scenes of the unity and freedom protests in Iran and the economic strikes in Madrid against eviction.
Each of these protests may be fighting for different ideals, but their numerous nonviolent tactics connect these seemingly disparate movements. The film thus draws parallels among rebellions around the world through strategies such as training protestors on how to approach police officers nonviolently, what they can do to avoid confrontation and what kind of questions they can pose to the authorities to avoid being arrested or worse.
The film targets youth, identifying ways they can help with their respective rebellions and why they should, as well as giving tips and advice on what kinds of action they can take to avoid violent encounters in protests and strikes.
If you’re curious about nonviolent protest or rebellion in general, then I strongly recommend you check this documentary out. Not only is it highly informative, but the cinematography is stunning, switching between interviews to scenes of protests that seem cheerful or take violent turns. Combined with well-chosen music, the film sets a consistent and appropriate atmosphere for the topic at hand; it keeps you intrigued, hooked on learning the fate of these people who are feverishly fighting for what they believe in.
Everyday Rebellion is scheduled for a premiere screening on Tuesday, Sept. 1, outdoors at La Place de la Paix, presented by Cinema Politica, a Montreal-based political documentary screening network originally founded at Concordia.
To learn more about the film, its directors, the people that were interviewed, or if you’re interested in donating and giving feedback, check out everydayrebellion.net or cinemapolitica.org.
