In 2013, on the streets of Cairo, mass protests against the Muslim Brotherhood leads to journalists and demonstrators from both sides being thrown together in the back of a cramped police truck. As the protests descend into riots, this mismatched group of detainees endure arguments, brutality, and cramped conditions in an attempt to make it out alive. Mohamed Diab confirmed his status as Egypt’s foremost cultural commentator with this masterful and disorientating depiction of a society torn apart by its differences.

This screening will be preceded by a short talk by Professor Chihab El Khachab (Associate Professor in Visual Anthropology, University of Oxford) entitled “Clash and Clashes in Egyptian Cinema after 2011” and a live musical performance by Oud player Tarik Beshir (Oxford Maqam). Professor Chihab El Khachab’s talk will briefly situate Clash among similar fiction films representing the January 25th, 2011 revolution in Egypt, and will highlight some internal struggles in the film industry about how to represent the revolution since 2011. 

Running order:
17:15 Doors open
17:45 Speaker intro – Professor Chihab El Khachab
17:55 Oud performance – Tarik Beshir
18:15 Clash screening begins

Reviews

‘A minor masterpiece of claustrophobia and expertly managed tension.’
★★★★
Jimi Famurewa, Empire Magazine

Supported by TORCH as part of the Humanties Cultural Programme