Opening 11 Sep 2014
Directed by:
Arash T. Riahi
Writing credits:
Arash T. Riahi, Arman T. Riahi
Everyday Rebellion is a documentary about creative forms of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience around the world. It won the “Cinema for Peace” award for 2014. The documentary focuses on several different movements of nonviolent protest around the world from Wall Street, New York to Madrid, Spain to Egypt, Iran, Ukraine and other countries where there is both violent and nonviolent unrest. The documentary switches between footage of various demonstrations and conversations around the world while a narration is whispered, changing languages and sexes. Everyone has a story to tell, “We are normal people, we are like you . . . we work, love, pray, suffer . . . we are anonymous but without us (change) wouldn’t exist, because we keep the world going . . . it’s time to change things and make a better civilization together . . . individuals should protect their own rights and those of their neighbor’s . . . .”
Everyday Rebellion shows different forms of nonviolent protest ranging from telling a story, protesting naked, blinking house lights at night simultaneously, to discussions in the classroom. It is a very informative and inspiring documentary. However, it is a long documentary and always focuses on the same movements. At first I wondered why they didn’t mention the computer hacker group “Anonymous” but then realized that the point of the documentary is that people can simply protest without the need of modern technology. An individual can gather and organize a group which cannot be turned off or manipulated by media, large corporations and/or politics. People have the power to change things, if not for today, then for the future. (Alana Leichert)
