TREEFORT 2014—FAVE PICKS

What a difference a year makes. Last year in the press lounge at the Sun Valley Film Festival I remember being clueless when the media kids were talking about the musical acts they were going to catch the following week at Treefort Music Festival. I had bought one ticket to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, because she was the only act I knew! A few of the kids were kind enough to offer some recommendations. This year, I'm asking everybody!! Alphabetically no less!  Framed within Treefort: The Skyship Tour, created by Zach Voss and his team.

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J. Reuben Appelman—Give Chase, an LGBT indie rock band from the BOI is definitely top on my list. After them, I'm looking forward to Clarke and the Himselfs, Storie Grubb & The Holy Wars, SubRosa, and hopefully Pat Benolkin is doing something again. That kid kills it. There are a ton of others but honesty my favorites are still from Boise. My overall favorite band last year was Sun Blood Stories. They killed it and were better than acts that have enormous followings. They were singlehandedly my favorite show last year and I saw, like, 50 bands.

Frankie Barnhill—I'm pretty damn stoked for Boise to experience Poliça. I've been lucky enough to see the lead singer (Channy Leanaugh) evolve since her previous Minneapolis-based projects. Her prowess as a lead singer and performer have only grown since Poliça's formation in 2011, and her vocals are a force to be reckoned with. The rest of my picks are acts I've never seen before (thanks for the discoveries, Treefort!): I'm into seeing EDM duo Odesza perform, their live show seems pretty awesome. Bay Area rapper IAMSU! looks like fun, as does femme rockers Chastity Belt and DIY-enthusiasts Saintseneca.

Joel W. Bartron—The Joy Formidable. I can't think of another band whose name and sound have such a skin-tight fit. It's louder and prouder than bands twice the size of their little trinity. This show would be worth it if they only played "Whirring" and "Abacus" and then left the stage. Cody ChesnuTT. I only got turned on to this fella after hearing the hubbub around his last album, "Landing on a Hundred," his first in, like, ten years. If I claim his stuff buzzes with a ton of wit (which it does) don't go thinking it lacks a ton of soul (which it does not). James Dean Kindle & the Eastern Oregon Playboys. Hailing from a town mostly known for its wool and whiskey, this foursome is never not worth seeing. (And I'd say that even if I weren't also from Pendleton). Bonus points if they play "Small Town Cops" and / or bust out the accordion. Hollow Wood; my local pick. It's really annoying how young and talented these not-quite-fully-grown humans are. Go see them before they start opening for Mumford & Sons in Prague or something. Mimicking Birds. I came under Nate Lacy's spell at a MusicFest Northwest show five or six years ago. He deserves a quiet room and a handful of supplicants. Just really flawless, thoughtful, sad bastard music. Honorable Mentions: Dan Deacon. Magic Sword.

Ian Clark—Dan Deacon. Dude is sharp, tapped into something next level. I had the opportunity to shoot a documentary while he recorded "Bromst", which was completely mind-blowing. Also, I still haven't listened to "America" in its entirety, so I'm anxious to hear what he's been making. Grandma Kelsey. Her music is just beautiful, poetic, and has a really elegant simplicity to it. Plus, she's just so charming to be around. The Dirty Moogs. These guys rule. So much energy and dancing happens during their sets. The first and only time I've seen them was really entertaining and hilarious. Gregory Rawlins. I love Greg's music. Oftentimes, within individual songs, he'll move through various tempos in interesting ways. Experimental acoustic rock? I'm terrible at describing or identifying genres. It's stark in a way that I really respond to, and he's one of the kindest, most honest human beings around. As for a fifth artist, man ... BOISE IDAHO! There's so much music coming out of this city that I haven't heard. Every show I wandered into last year was intriguing, so I'd love to expose myself to more of the city's artists. Can't wait!



Stephanie Coyle—Built To Spill: they are friends of mine and are my favorite band and I will see them at every given opportunity. ISHI: they blew my mind at the Radio Boise Pre-Fat in downtown Boise last summer, and after they were finished I hoped to one day see them again. Disco Doom: they are some of the sweetest people I've ever met and their new album is beautiful. Rubblebucket: their shows are some of the most fun I've ever been to, and Kalmia Traver is amazing, both as a performer and as a human. Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt: I've heard their live shows are crazy fun. They were on my wish list last Treefort, but I missed them, so I'm hoping to see them this year.  

Jared Hallock—Okay … in no particular order. Caustic Resin: they live in this mid tempo world of soundscape that I was never able to catch when I was younger. I am thankful for the reunion show to catch this group. To me their songs feel like chorus after chorus after chorus. Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside: mainly because Sallie can fuck and and drink and doesn't care what you think. Add that to retro surf guitar sounds. THEESastisfaction: harmonies, hip hop and beautiful women. Sign me up! This isn't a group that I have seen come through Boise yet and would like to catch something from another world. If they have been here before I missed, but I am not planning on making that mistake during Treefort. Rubblebucket: catchy hooks, a great blend of electronics, a hint of Latin instruments and a funk horn section. Yup! Malaikat Dan Singa: crazy funk reggae and Tuvan throat singing. Ya, this is more of a need to see than a must so if I had to pick a number one this would be it. And, finally, Modern Kin: what a great warble he has to his voice!  
Ben Hamill—Hey. Sad to say, but I don't know if I'm the best one to ask. I don't know hardly any of the bands coming, apart from some of the local acts. I've always enjoyed Jeff Crosby, especially from his time with Equaleyes, Grandma Kelsey, and Voice of Reason. I dig The Joy Formidable, but I really have no idea about anyone else that is coming. It will all be new to me.

Yurek Hansen—Oh man! I haven't had the time to pay attention! I am trying to develop some street performances for the Treefort. So far that's all I've thought about. Sun Blood Stories is my favoritist of all. Why? Because they bare their souls completely and give love to the end of ends.

Brett Nicholas Hawkins—hmmmm. ok. in no specific order... 1. naomi punk. they rip. the music is real. and heavy. and makes you float. i've listened to their record a million times. 2. atomic mama. 2 sexy boys playing modern music. fur shore will be one of the defining bands of this era in Boise. if Boise know's wut's gud. 3. wooden indian burial ground. acid flashback stage diving covered in sweat lose your shit where am i? 4. King Brat. Boise DIY Punx who know how to shred while writing the CATCHIEST 1-2 minute songs possible. hometown heroes. 5. mount eerie. i am still trying to prepare myself for the massive force that is mount eerie.

Alex Hecht—Dark Swallows. They're a great band and they don't play very often so when I get a chance to see them I take it. Memory Smoker is a bunch of guys with synthesizers, one of them a huge home-made modular analog unit. They improvise everything and it turns my brain into mush. Phantahex they do something different every time and no matter what they always seem to deliver a great set. Also, they make up everything on the spot. Bonefish Sam and his Orchestra. Great dub influenced electronics. Live bass and guitar. It's mesmerizing. Fifth spot goes to TEENS. Rumor has it it's their final show and it should be a blast. Always a great time. Honorable mentions to Blvrred Vision, The Nunnery, Bad 90s, Uzala, Black Cloud, and Junior Rocket Scientist. Also on my MUST SEE list on the film side of things is 12 O'Clock Boys.

Ryan Ryan Hondo Hondo—There's so many bands to grace us with their performances this year! It's really hard to narrow it down to 5 but I'll sure try. Yvette is a band that hails from Brooklyn, but one of the duo is originally from Boise. Yvette is much more than Experimental Industrial Rock. Their sound is rhythmically driven and plays with powerful synth and guitar motifs. Their musical journey is exciting and I, for one, will be going with them. Budos Band is a group that I am really excited for. I wish their music was the sound track for my life. They are an instrumental band who experiment with Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rock. There's not a time that I listen to them without moving. Mr. Gnome is a group that I am very excited to see. I saw them during the first Treefort Music Fest and I was blown away. Swinging seamlessly from hypnotizing psychedelic beauty into gritty, punchy, and powerful rock songs. I was so immensely impressed by their live performance and I can't wait to see them this year. This Will Destroy You is a group that will make a huge presence at Treefort. An instrumental post-rock band from Texas that is not for the faint of heart. If you're within hearing distance of their set you'll be drawn in by their enchanting epic movements. They will draw you in with a note and make you scream as they explode into an epic climax. When I listen to their music I am amazed at how subtle they can be and transition into a thousand layers of sound that make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. I will also be catching DJ Verstál at Treefort. There's a difference between a dance party and an awesome dance party and that's the music. Verstál has an eclectic mix of EDM music. There will be sounds you haven't heard, and wish that you had, because you're going to move!



T.J. Hughes—Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Max Pain and the Groovies, Built to Spill, Marshall Poole, Dark Seas, and Shades. I have been to all of these shows at one point or another and they are all epic live. Some shows are boring to watch but these six here are all amazing to be a part of. True feeling for a music festival.

Ben Kirby—1) Pontiak. I'm having an affair with feedback at the moment and this band operates in some competely unique, ultra heavy feedback fantasy. 2) Wooden Indian Burial Ground. Last Treefort, this was by far the most amazing show I experienced. An hour of pounding ferocious catchy noise. Could've been the people hanging off the stage and the ceiling pipes or maybe the acid I took, but it was probably just some fuckin' wild musicians nailin' it. 3) Eternal Tapestry. Apparently, this band and I share a smallish obsession with Sonny Sharrock. 'Nuff said. 4) Cy Dune. The rawness of the "No Recognize" EP is heart-wrenching. The beat is so real you can hardly find it with your head. I can't wait to see it live. 5) Mt Eerie. To be honest, don't know much of his music as Mt Eerie, but a previous thing he did called The Microphones was killer. I'm excited to walk into it completely blind.

Nik Kososik—Pontiak: Their sound is undeniably unique and visceral. They are masters at creating soundscapes that entrance the listeners. Seriously rad in every way, no joke, see these guys, major toner boner. Uzala: Local Doom Metal done right. These guys crush your ears with the heavies, but leave you feeling weird in the most beautiful way possible. Subrosa: Sort of in the same category as Uzala, these sludge rockers make me feel dirty when even I listen to them. They are only better live and you’ll probably need a shower after you see them in order to feel clean again. Obscured By the Sun: These local rockers make music babies. Every song is a wonderful movement ranging from ambient to head banging sex rock. Every time I catch their set it just gets better and better as they evolve into better and better musicians. Hobosexual: These blues rockers have riffs that have riffs. I'm a riff guy so it will be ever so lovely to have their dirt sounds thrown at my face. I recently discovered these guys through the Treefort website and I'm counting down the days until I can see their raw energy for myself.  

Jess Krichelle—Fever the Ghost. This is one band that folks in the Boise area need to be on their toes for. As a loyal fan of MGMT, Tame Impala, and Jack White, these beautiful creatures mesh a sound so perfectly blended of the three that make them impossible to fall in love with. And trust me, you will see me and my friends grooving to this come Treefort. Apple Horse is a Boise band that I am looking forward to finally seeing. I have nothing but good things to say about the guys of Apple Horse and all I can say is that this will be one hell of a reunion. I simply can't wait to experience this live for the very first time. Jesus Sons is another LA-based band that is venturing to Boise. If you are into a classic '60's vibe, I would definitely recommend checking their show out. I'm pretty sure they were born into the wrong era. Hollow Wood is another on my viewing list. It's ridiculous how talented these young musicians are. I cannot put it into words how taken back I am at their live performances. I never know what to expect, but I always expect to leave mesmerized and it never fails. And finally Magic Sword will be on my list to go and see as well. I have love affairs with all of these music acts and I'm more than thrilled to be experiencing this Treefort with some friends from LA that have never been to Boise. I'm sure they won't be disappointed.  

Bronwyn Leslie—Hi! I would say my top 5 must-see locals are Sun Blood Stories, Woodwind, Bad90s, Grandma Kelsey, Atomic Mama, & of course I'd also recommend Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant, a side project I'm involved with.

Marissa Lyons—Warm Soda. I like to rock n roll. La Luz. Best band to dance to. Naomi Punk. Cool hair cuts, cool music. Psychic Rites. Dark no wave '80s cool sound also good for dancin'. Zebroids. They have a skull beer bong which is really cool even though I don't drink beer and also one of the most fun shows I've ever been to. They know how to have fun!

Willow Moon—Unfortunately I haven't yet had time to select which bands I plan to see. I know for sure I'm going to catch the Atomic Mama reunion. It should be great!

Daniel Francis Ojeda—Brothertiger. Sun Blood Stories. RJD2. Joy Formidable. Magic Sword. Brothertiger was a band I stumbled upon on Spotify that sounds like good music to hear live. Sun Blood Stories is probably my favorite local band and I really dig their shift from playing rock songs, to putting on a show that's very progressive and complete. RJD2 is just awesome. The Joy Formidable is fantastic because they're really loud for just three people and I love when a woman REALLY plays a guitar like it should be played and subsequently puts some dudes to shame. Magic sword sounds like music I'd play on my pilgrimage to another planet.

Amber Pollard—Since the spirit of Treefort is fueled by discovery, most of my "must-sees" are bands I've never heard of before but discovered via the festival announcements and I'm really excited to explore new sounds. I was going to say that my list is in no particular order, but that's a lie; they're arranged in order of festival appearance. 1) Lures. I discovered Lures while diligently doing my Treefort homework. There's something about surf music that makes my whole body start to twitch and spasm: some people call that dancing, I call it too much happy. 2) Like A Villain. At Treefort 2013, AU (one of my "must-sees" for that year) was accompanied by Holland Andrews; girl crush ensued when I realized that: a) she's a super babe, and b) to say "she can sing" would / is an understatement of ridiculousness; she's got balls! Like A Villain is her solo project; it's creepy, beautiful, and will make you believe in ghosts. 3) BAND DIALOGUE II (Saturday at Rhodes Skate Park, 4:30PM ||FREE|| open to the public): Sun Blood Stories was asked to be a part of a crazy idea that Seth Olinsky, Cy Dune, came up with where 10 bands perform simultaneously. Even if I wasn't a part of this piece, it would still be a part of my "must-sees." 10 bands fusing together to form SuperBand—pure magic. 4) Wooden Indian Burial Ground. Even though I've seen Wooden Indian on several occasions, it's still about discovery for me. I've discovered that I [expletive deleted] love Wooden Indian Burial Ground! Their sexy-horror-surf-melt music makes me splash blood all over myself and jump in the middle of the friendliest mosh pit of all time. I'm not gonna not see Wooden Indian. 5) Naomi Punk. I've been second hand listening to Naomi Punk since their 2013 Treefort set which I didn't catch. Listening to "The Feeling" is like a release—I don't know what from—but a release none the less. I will not miss their set this year. Nope. Not me. Not now. Not ever (again).

 

Andy Rayborn—Hm, that's hard. I don't really like listening to music. I like playing music and watching other people play music. Last year I listened to most of the bands playing beforehand and made an itinerary. I ended up leaving some sets as soon as they started because the band wasn't interesting live. By the end of the festival, I was just going to see all the bands it seemed like other people were excited to see, and that was more fun than the beginning where I was watching bands I'd thought I'd like based on their recordings. That being said, I'd be really excited to see Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa if I wasn't playing with another band during their set, and I'm really looking forward to Like a Villain because her music is beautiful and moving and incorporates a lot of quirky elements I'm always happy to find.

Jose Angel Sáënz—Hollow Wood, Avtale, Magic Sword, Atomic Mama (reunion), Grandma Kelsey.

Matt Shelar—First off, Limbosa will rocks anyone's socks off. Though a relatively new band, the bluesy and funky chemistry between these three locals will go unchallenged. I've been listening to Cody ChesnuTT for the last ten years, since his first album "The Headphone Masterpiece" was released. Lyrically and musically, he is one of the smoothest artists I've ever listened to. Marshall Poole is another badass band of locals. They're a three-piece who I've seen play live a number of times. And if you don't get a chance to see them at the festival, you should check out their album "The Misconception". I saw Northern Giants back when they were WHALE! and I remembered thinking their lead singer sounded like a male Janis Joplin. They're a very entertaining band to see live. And while I'm not familiar with the Foxxtones, Cassie Lewis is a terrific singer. I think anyone who enjoys a powerful voice that can hit notes shouldn't miss her.  

Jason Sievers—Oh man, that's a tough one because I get so excited about seeing local friends, but here's my early ideas before diving too far in. There are two returning bands that I'm really excited to see. I happened on both at previous Treeforts by accident and fell in love with them. Portland's The Parson Red Heads play sweet country-tinged pop and glad they are returning (saw them year one). Sister Crayon from Sacramento were here last year and were amazing. The female vocalist has really ethereal, haunting vocals. Very cool band. Locals: really excited for Built to Spill's set of new material. I think they've been on a roll since mixing up their line-up a bit. Also their former bassist Brett Nelson is in another favorite band The Sleepy Seeds who will be debuting new material, too. Very excited for the Wednesday History of Boise Rock Showcase especially the Caustic Resin reunion (a local favorite of all time). I think that's five! Also really want to catch Dan Deacon and Mr. Gnome who I missed in the past. I have a friend coming from back east—I'm sure he'll also influence some of our choices, but I still have a bit of homework to do!

Andrew Steele—Boy oh boy, what to see?! Well, Dan Deacon is a given. I'm pretty excited to see Poliça, Rubblebucket, RJD2 and Run the Jewels too (as far as the mainstage acts go). I've heard great things about Vikesh Kapoor. Gift of Gab is great fun if you want some '90s East Bay hip-hop. So much more ... goodness, it will be impossible to see even a fraction of it. Pontiak, Mr. Gnome, Odesza, Eternal Tapestry, AU, and Wooden Indian Burial Ground are also on my list. Interestingly, though, I am going to be playing with Gregory Rawlins on Sunday. We've recently struck up a musical friendship, and I'll be accompanying him on drums for his 40-minute set. Should be fun!

Zach Voss—For local TF picks, I'd say Atomic Mama (a killer reunion show), Bad 90s (key members from other bands with a fresh sound).

Jason Andrew Willford—I'll have to think about that after looking over the roster again. But The Budos Band is my number one. Then, RJD2.

Matthew Wordell—I'm looking forward to seeing Ditch Tiger, Shades, Grandma Kelsey, Sun Blood Stories, Virgil, and Grand Falconer because I like the people that play music in those bands. I'm also really excited to see The Budos Band.  

Jaffe Zinn—1. Mount Eerie. 2. THEESatisfaction. 3. Toy Zoo. 4. Pork Chopper. 5. Worst Foster Parents.

TREEFORT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014: BAY AREA > BOISE

I was born in Nampa, Idaho and raised in Twin Falls, but left the state in 1973 to find a city I could grow up in. I bounced around cities East and West until settling in laid back San Francisco in the summer of 1975 and that's where I remained for 36 years until resituating assets to Boise in the spring of 2011, where I intend to eventually retire. For now, I spend time in both cities, increasingly aware of the cultural corridor that exists between them.

That cultural connection tunes in clearly with the presence of no less than 18 bands from the San Francisco Bay Area who are performing at the 2014 edition of the Treefort Music Festival. Always keen to strengthen the connection between my two bases, here are four Bay Area bands I recommend for those negotiating their Treefort schedules.

COUCHES—Self-identified "slackers" reducing stress by being just a little lazy, the San Francisco-based three piece indie rock band Couches advocates a light load and a simpler way of life, which doesn't mean they're not up to a good party. After having been together less than a year, they played Treefort in 2013 on their first "Real Lazy Tour" with their first album "California" (on 20 Sided Records). Catchy hooks with nice comfortable melodies, their debut single "California" talks about the life and times of living in a corrupt country where you're practically told how to think and how to live your life, even in the amazing state of California. Here's their video for that song taped and edited by Adam McLaughlin.



As profiled by Jason Shane at The Bay Bridged, Couches is comprised of frontman David Mitchell (the founder of 20 Sided Records on guitar and vocals), Chris Griley (bass), and Kevin Coleman (drums). As quoted by Shane, Mitchell states: "I'm a stoner, I am a slacker, and I'm a big time daydreamer, but I work hard for my band, my record label, and my friends. I like to think Slacker Rock is a bunch of starving musicians who love playing music, but try to keep the tunes a simple as possible. That's what I go for with anything that I write. I like to think my motto for writing / playing music is less is more."

Raw Power Writings praises "Killer Mutant Butterfly", the B-side of Couches' debut 7", and writes: "Couches play self described 'slacker rock,' a term I'm hearing thrown around more and more these days but have little concept to what it actually means. To me the band's style is a combination of equal parts indie and post rock thrown in a blender with just a splash of dreamy shoegaze dropped in for good measure. Their sound is, at times, enveloping and textured while moving into cleaner, simpler tones as well. The 'slacker' part of their self description might reference the casual, laid back pacing of their tunes, but when I think of the word slacker, I also think of the word lazy, and these songs are anything but that. On the contrary, while these tunes may have originated from stoned, slightly drunken jams, you can tell that much time was spent polishing and crafting these songs into something far beyond half thought out, intoxicated meanderings." Here's their video for "Killer Mutant Butterfly", taped and edited by Joseph Trum. Couches returns to Treefort 2014 as part of their "Slackin' Since the '80s" tour. Keep up with them on their Facebook page.

PHUTUREPRIMITIVE—As cribbed from the bio on his website, Phutureprimitive is the moniker of Bay Area producer and songwriter Rain. After beginning a DJ career in the '90s, Rain began incorporating the music he was making in his home studio into his DJ sets. That was all it took to trigger a full blown love affair with electronic music and the process of its creation … and Phutureprimitive was born. Phutureprimitive's music is best described as dripping wet love drops of nasty mind melting sonic bliss. Lush melodies drift across intricate rhythms, groove heavy beats and warm, fuzzy bass lines. Often exploring a dark and dense palette, there is also a profound sense of tranquility and beauty, engaging the listener into hypnotic movement and often escalating into a full-on kinetic experience. Shimmering with cinematic qualities, his music ultimately speaks to the body, mind and soul.

With a new collection of songs released in two parts titled "Searching for Beauty in the Darkest Places," Phutureprimitive takes ideas from his previous releases and supercharges them with hard-hitting dancefloor appeal, while maintaining the depth and prowess this trusted producer is so well known for. His first national headlining tour in Fall 2013 debuted his collaboration with ritual dancer Caeli La. The tour launched with the release of their first official music video, "Lucid Dream," a collaboration with multi-media production team Vinton Depiction & Michael Miller, the animation / visual effects creator behind NBC's Grimm [Facebook]. Shimmering with cinematic qualities, indeed, here's his sensual and evocative video for "Lucid Dream." Keep up with Phutureprimitive on his website and Facebook.

RIN TIN TIGER—A high energy alternative folk rock trio from San Francisco, Rin Tin Tiger boasts lyrical virtuosity with plenty of groove. Their sound is often described as a blend between early Bob Dylan, Violent Femmes, and Tupac. Their third and most recent release "Splinter Remedies" was released independently on August 20, 2013 and they're just about to launch their Splintered Northwest tour, which will include an appearance at Treefort.

Rin Tin Tiger is comprised of Kevin Sullivan (guitar, vocals, harmonica), his brother Sean Sullivan (bass, vocals), and Andrew Skewes-Cox (drums, vocals), having evolved from the earlier Brothers Sullivan incarnation Westwood & Willow. Regrouping as Rin Tin Tiger in March 2011, SF Weekly's Ron Garmon noted the band's Dylanesque sound early on and affirmed, "These guys bear watching." In the years since, Rin Tin Tiger has been written about in The San Francisco Chronicle where Tony DeShane described them as "folkie and fierce" and interviewed Kevin Sullivan regarding songwriting, busking on San Francisco's streets, and how the band came upon their name. At The Guardsman, Lance Kramer queried Kevin on his musical influences ("Well …I love Tupac a lot 'cause he's fearless, angry, and he's multi-dimensional. On one track he's talking about killing you and in another he's talking about peace on the block, so I'm into that. And I felt that he always said just what he wanted to say and with conviction. Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Elliott Smith in there, and then I like Morrissey just because he's so ridiculous, he's very upfront, incredibly blunt, but I believe him. He's not putting up a front, and of course Johnny Marr's guitar is wonderful"). At the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Emily Savage writes that Rin Tin Tiger's music "roars like the soul of a wild cat trapped in a faithful pup's skin. It scoots along with twangy riffs infused with a rough rock'n'roll edge, and 'a good thump', with untouched—and gleefully twangy—vocals pumping up the natural energy." Here's their November 2013 video for "Pretty Looks", followed by an earlier video "Far Away" from their debut EP. Keep up with Rin Tin Tiger at their website and on Facebook. The final video "Wooden Chest" represents Kevin Sullivan's latest project Field Medic.

WARM SODA—Out of Oakland and on tour with Big Tits, Warm Soda has become a favorite band of mine. As described at the Treefort website: "Perfecting the blend of glitter and grime that earned Bare Wires a soft spot in the hearts of the bubblegum-popping, foot-stomping masses, Matthew Melton joins with bassist Chase Asmussen, guitarist Rob Good, and drummer Ian McBrayer as Warm Soda. With their debut LP, "Someone For You", the outfit charts the familiar territory of power pop, glam, and punk, but with a decidedly more confident stride. The twelve resulting songs smack of sugar but sate an appetite that craves more than something sweet, their initial taste of preeminently listenable simplicity giving way to a lingering flavor of their compositional complexity." Here's their video for "Renegade Mode", produced at Fuzz City Records and filmed by Doris Melton. That's followed by the tune that caught my ear "Jeanie Loves Pop" from Warm Soda's debut album on Castle Face Records; video by Chris Stevens. Keep up with Warm Soda at their website and on Facebook.





Also representing the Bay Area (in alphabetical order) are Battlehooch, Big Tits, Creative Adult, The Dwarves, Future Twin, Gift of Gab, Iamsu!, Meat Market, Minot, Sister Crayon, Tartufi, Twin Steps, Van Wave and VHÖL. I wish I could catch them all!

POMPEII (2014)

Let's not pretend, shall we? Mount Vesuvius in all its eruptive glory is the true star of Paul W.S. Anderson's Pompeii (2014), no disrespect intended to our six-packed Celt (Kit Harington), his doe-eyed love interest Cassia (Emily Browning), his brother-in-arms Atticus (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and their lip-spitting adversary Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland).

Fans of such TV narratives as Game of Thrones, Grimm, and Oz, will find familiar faces to cheer on in the face of natural, unmitigated disaster, affectionately rendered in 3D as fireballs come hurling out of everyone's favorite volcanic eruption to devastate the seaside city of Pompeii. Surely that doesn't necessitate a spoiler alert? Who isn't familiar with the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD? These events fascinated me as early as the fifth grade when I reconstructed Mt. Vesuvius for a science project, building up the mountain over a narrow glass in which I spooned several helpings of soda bicarbonate and red food dye. As I related the history of this ill-fated city to my schoolmates, I poured in vinegar at the last minute to produce an overflowing red foam of destruction. The class cheered. The teacher gave me an A. It was just as exciting (for me, at least) as watching Steve Reeves in The Last Days of Pompeii (1959), the muscular remake of the earlier effete 1935 version (where Basil Rathbone plays Pontius Pilate).

Let there be no doubt that I prefer my sword-and-sandal disasters virile and muscular and—true to a longstanding trend in eroticized hyper-virilified history, recently rewritten in Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000), Zack Snyder's 300 (2006), and the Starz TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010-2013)—beefcake and GCI destruction make sexy bedmates. The victors who rewrite history here are the disaster enthusiasts sitting in the audience.

Expect nothing, put on your 3D glasses, and eat your Hot Tamales. It's state-of-the-art spectacle and—for this reviewer at least—a thumbs up.

PSIFF 2014: OMAR (2013)—The Evening Class Conversation With Actors Adam Bakri and Waleed Zuaiter

Hany Abu-Assad's Omar (2013) [site]—shortlisted for the foreign language category at the Academy Awards®—and Yuval Adler's Bethlehem (2013) [site]—Israel's official submission—are, essentially, bookend collaborationist narratives situated on either side of the Separation Wall, with forays back and forth to complicate matters. Both films excel at drawing attention to the increasingly commonplace practice of Israeli secret agents manipulating Palestinians into collaboration. It's interesting to note that both Israeli agents—Waleed Zuaiter as Agent Rami in Omar, and Tsahi Halevi as Agent Razi in Bethlehem—are depicted as seductive, handsome, irresistible men, a new kind of sleek evil in authoritative garb in service to the nation-state; whereas, the manipulated Palestinians are depicted as emotionally troubled and fractioned in the Israeli film, but heroic, lithe and crafty in the Palestinian film. Both narratives, however, soberly demonstrate the damage caused to both sides by collaborationist tactics.

Bethlehem plays its political angles by the numbers yet offers insight into how feuding Palestinian factions have complicated the peacekeeping mission. A raid by Israeli soldiers into Palestinian Bethlehem makes for a particularly exciting sequence, brilliantly choreographed, where a riot all but foils an assassination plot. For my money, however, Omar is the more interesting film for skillfully conflating its political agendas into a poignant love story where suspense mounts not from expected political tensions, but from the suspected betrayals of loved ones. Is the central romance between Omar and his beloved Nadja (Leem Lubani) traitorous? Up to its final explosive scene, the audience is never quite sure. Newcomer Adam Bakri is stunning in the titular role, with a character arc that leaps from charmingly defiant—scaling up and over the Separation Wall by rope—to a deeply wounded man devastated by fate and betrayed into believing the unbelievable.

Both films are highly recommended; but, it's clear to me why Omar is among the final five, already winner of a Special Jury Prize at Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival (where the film received a standing ovation). At Fandor's Keyframe Daily, David Hudson has crafted a critical aggregate of reviews from last Fall's New York Film Festival screening. What follows is a conversation cobbled from the film's Q&A at the 2014 edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) and sit-down conversations with both actors in the festival's press lounge. All photos courtesy of Adopt Films, except where noted.

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Photo: Irene Cho

Michael Guillén: I'm aware writer-director Hany Abu-Assad was unable to attend PSIFF because he's attending the premiere of Omar in Tel Aviv, but can you speak for him as to the origins of this project?

Waleed Zuaiter: Basically, it was inspired by true events and the story of someone who Hany became friends with who had a secret: that Israeli authorities had pressured him into being a collaborator. Hany had also read in Israeli newspapers accounts of a collaborator killing an Israeli officer with the same weapon he was given to protect himself from his own neighborhood. Although that murder didn't happen in the exact same way as the film, Hany felt that dramatically it would play better if it happened at the same moment the collaborator was handed the gun. So Hany already knew the ending when he started to write the script. He wrote the structure for the movie in four hours. Four days later he wrote the whole script.

Guillén: I was struck by the footage of Omar scaling the Separation Wall. Were there any difficulties with authorities filming on either side of the wall?

Zuaiter: Luckily, we didn't have any problems with authorities on both sides. We were able to get permits easily. Hany joked about it because he had all kinds of problems filming Paradise Now (2005)—one of the crew members was kidnapped—it was just crazy and ugly; but with Omar, we had no issues. The only issues we faced were ones common to independent filmmaking: securing the funds, getting the right locations, etc. We had all of those problems on a daily basis.

Guillén: Is there really a rope to scale over the wall?

Zuaiter: Yeah. This is something I learned: there are actually people that make a living by helping people to scale the wall. They're in different places along the Separation Wall.

Guillén: Help me understand this, Omar scales the wall from the West Bank into Palestine, right? Why is there a wall between the West Bank and Palestine?

Zuaiter: That's a question we often get asked at Q&As. We purposely didn't put any titles saying where you were in the movie. That was a way to make the story as accessible as possible to a universal audience: this could happen anywhere. But the reality is that the Separation Wall in many cases separates Palestinian villages within its own village. Someone who was once your neighbor, who you could walk to them, you now have to travel to get to them. It's prevented people from getting to their jobs or to family members. What it did for us was to open up a discussion where we can discuss this topic in a forum like this.

Guillén: It's my understanding,Waleed, that along with starring in the film, you were also one of the film's producers? Can you speak to casting, particularly Adam Bakri's breakout performance as Omar?

Zuaiter: I'll let Adam speak to his own background, but he was such a true find. He's a brilliant actor. We had a very long casting process of about four months and Hany was extremely picky about who he wanted in the cast. For almost everyone in the cast, this was their first true acting job. I'm the only experienced actor in the cast with other credits. Leem Lubani, who plays Omar's girlfriend Nadja, was 16 years old when we filmed the movie. She's 17 now and studying to be an actress. Samer Bisharat, who plays Amjad, has done a couple of short films. The actor who plays Tarek, Iyad Hoorani, does a lot of theater in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Guillén: So, Adam, what can you tell me about yourself?

Adam Bakri: I was born in Israel and raised in the north but traveled back and forth between Israel and the States. I studied at Tel Aviv University with a double major in English literature and theater arts. Right after I moved to New York, I trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute for two years, and a week after my graduation I flew back to Israel to shoot Omar.

Guillén: So your career is nearly anomalous for being immediately on fast track. For your first starring role you're in a well-scripted, international favorite and will be, no doubt, attending the Academy Awards®, straight out of the gate. Did you ever anticipate your dreams would be achieved so quickly?

Bakri: I remember dreaming that Hany would write a story just for me, a character for me, and my dream came true. I hadn't met him but I knew his work.

Guillén: You confirm the value of dreaming in detail. What impressed me with your performance as the script was written was that Omar had the most pronounced character arc. In the beginning you're almost mirthfully defiant and of course narrative circumstances lead you to a tragic betrayal. Can you talk a bit about how you worked with Hany to develop that character arc?

Bakri: Before shooting, Hany and I worked on the script together. I had probably a million questions for him about every little detail in the script. But on the set he gave me total freedom to do what I needed. Of course, it was collaborative between me and him, and after every scene we would share a look to confirm that we were getting what we were aiming for. On my own, I connected with the material. I felt I knew what my character was feeling and what was important for me was to authentically convey to the audience his inner conflict. His was a tragic story. Throughout the movie he doesn't talk a lot and this conflict is all in his head. When I read the script, Omar reminded me of Ryan Gosling's character in Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive (2011). I saw a lot of connections. For me it was important to have the audience read Omar's mind; to read how conflicted he was.

Guillén: Let's discuss the craft of that. You're absolutely right. Omar's internal conflict telegraphs through his eyes and facial expressions. The scene where he is ultimately betrayed and his eyes well up with tears was painful to watch. How do you do that? Do you practice in front of a mirror?

Bakri: [Laughs] No. Like I said, the role came to me right after graduating from school. I'd been training for five years, but only in classes, working with a partner, but primarily with myself and the imaginary world. What we did in theater, at least specifically at Lee Strasberg's, is we worked with our inner lives, our past experiences. Only you know what's going on inside you. Getting the role of Omar meant I could put my years of training into practice fresh out of school. I needed it because, towards the end of my training, I was dying to get out of that school and into something professional. So when Hany cast me the role, I thought, "Now I'm going to put everything I've learned into this kid." That's what I hope came across.

Guillén: You needn't have any doubts about the strength and success of your performance. How did both of you research for your roles? Did you talk to or interview the real-life individuals on whom the story is based?

Zuaiter: For my character as the Israeli agent Rami, we tried to speak to the Shabak or Shin Bet, but that wasn't allowed for obvious security purposes. I did get to speak to a lot of crew members in the cast who had been interrogated by Israeli authorities and got a lot of information from them. I also got to talk to several Israelis who knew people like Rami. Even our production manager was telling me about the mannerisms of Israeli agents and such. The rest I worked from the script with Hany to find the essence of this guy. We visited some refugee camps and filmed a lot in the refugee camp al-Fari'ah. We went to an Israeli jail as well. I know that Leem and Adam spent some time in a refugee camp during pre-production when we were in rehearsal. We got to speak to a lot of people there. Iyad, who plays Tarek, actually lives in the West Bank and a lot of this story was very close to his heart because he's actually tried to scale the wall.

Bakri: It was important for me to go to a refugee camp and at least stay there for a couple of days. Coming straight from New York, I couldn't even compare it. I didn't really talk to anyone because we didn't have access to collaborators; but, Hany based the whole movie on different events that really happened. He put it all into the character of Omar but it came from different characters. My connection to the character of Omar was completely artistic. I wasn't motivated by a political agenda or whatever.

Guillén: Did you do all your own stunts?

Bakri: I ran a lot and I jumped a lot, but I had a stunt double as well. I did a lot of training for it, about a month and a half of running and working out. I was ready.

Guillén: Has the film received any political feedback from either side, Israeli or Palestinian?

Zuaiter: Omar premiered in Ramallah in September. Palestinians loved the movie. It's a subject close to their hearts. It's a common story that they've seen. They feel Omar accurately represents the true circumstances there. Hany told me that—at a recent screening in Jerusalem just a couple of days ago—people applauded after the movie and, during the Q&A, an Israeli Jew was saying that Omar was such an amazing story and very true to life and then other people in the audience started shouting at the person who was complimenting the movie. It's a sensitive topic. It's close to a lot of people's own personal experiences; but, there's obviously another perspective. We're getting mostly positive response from the movie.

Guillén: Waleed, I was delighted to discover that you're appearing in several episodes of the sci-fi television drama Revolution. What about you, Adam? What does your agent have lined up for you?

Bakri: She wants me to stay here in the United States but I'm actually doing something back in the Mideast. It's an offer I can't really talk too much about, but it's a historical TV series.

Guillén: Whether here or there, you are off to a running start. I want to congratulate both of you and wish you the best with the film. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me this afternoon.

PSIFF 2014: AL MIDAN / THE SQUARE (2013)—A Few Evening Class Questions For Director Jehane Noujaim and Producer Karim Amer

Situated in the True Stories sidebar at the 25th edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), Jehane Noujaim's Al Midan (The Square, 2013) chronicles the communal conscription of space for political assembly and energizes historical events with intimate reportage. As boasted on the film's theatrical poster and recited in PSIFF's program capsule: "The people demand the downfall of the regime! This slogan echoed throughout Cairo's Tahrir Square during the revolutionary fervor of the Arab Spring that gripped Egypt and enthralled the world. But who were the people shouting the slogan, what drew them to 'The Square,' and—given the convoluted events that followed—what did it all mean, anyway?

"These questions are addressed in the most cinematic way possible in Jehane Noujaim's revelatory documentary. From Mubarak's fall to the removal from power of Mohamed Morsi, The Square focuses mainly on the lives of three charismatic activists. No mere chronological recitation of events, The Square provides all the elements of a great movie: compelling, complex characters; a propulsive and unpredictable plot; a succession of eye-popping images; and, most important, an emotional core that connects with our own inner lives and gives the movie its universal appeal."

As confirmed by Stephen Holden at The New York Times: "[The Square] puts you in the center of the action to the extent that the protesters' passion is so contagious, it seems to leap off the screen and into your heart."

The Egyptian Revolution has been an ongoing rollercoaster over the past two and a half years. From the 2011 overthrow of a 30-year dictator Hosni Mubarak, through military rule, and culminating with the forced military removal of the Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi in the summer of 2013, The Square follows a group of Egyptian activists as they battle leaders and regimes, and risk their lives to build a new society of conscience. As immersive as the 2011 documentary Tahrir 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician might have been in its cinematic aesthetics, The Square proceeds beyond where that documentary concludes to provide an unfolding historical context and a much-needed human face to these remarkable events. As Steven Erickson phrased it for Fandor's Keyframe: "Several early documentaries about the Arab Spring were hampered by a triumphant tone that now seems premature and short-sighted. The Square, which follows Egyptian protests over the course of two years, takes the opposite tack. Profiling a group of activists from varying ideological backgrounds, it shows a maddening situation in which a permanent revolution has become necessary."

The Square had its World Premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for World Cinema, Documentary. Due to the ongoing nature of the Egyptian Revolution, Noujaim updated the ending of the film over the summer of 2013. The film subsequently won the People's Choice Award for Documentary at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival, becoming the first film to win the Audience Award at both festivals. Dave Hudson rounded up the critical response, first from its Sundance win, then from its appearance at the New York Film Festival, and then at the International Documentary Association Awards, where The Square won Best Feature. More reviews can be found at the film's website. Most recently, The Square has made the Academy Awards® short list for Best Documentary Feature. It's also the first film to be picked up for distribution by Netflix.

Jehane Noujaim.  Photo: Ahmed Hassan

Egyptian-American filmmaker Jehane Noujaim has worked on various documentaries in both the Middle East and the United States. Before graduating from Harvard, she was awarded the Gardiner Fellowship for Mokattam, an Arabic film she directed about a garbage-collecting village near Cairo, Egypt. Jehane then joined the MTV News and Documentary Division as a segment producer for the documentary series Unfiltered. She soon left her position at MTV to produce and direct the feature documentary, Startup.Com (2001), which won the DGA and IDA awards for best director. Jehane continued to work on numerous documentaries as a cinematographer including: Down From the Mountain (2000), Only the Strong Survive (2002), and Born Rich (2003), before directing Control Room in 2004. The film was met with critical acclaim and won Jehane the coveted TED Prize in 2006, previously awarded to Bono and President Clinton. Jehane has continued to work in the U.S. and in the Middle East on films as an executive producer for such films as Encounter Point (2006) and Budrus (2009). She has also co-directed Egypt: We Are Watching You, which premiered as one of the ten films in the Why Democracy Series focusing on contemporary democracy around the globe. In 2012, she co-directed Rafea: Solar Mama, an award-winning film about a Jordanian woman who travels to India with the dream of becoming a solar engineer. The Square is her fifth feature-length documentary.

Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images North America

Karim Amer is an Egyptian-American entrepreneur, who was raised between Miami, Florida and Cairo, Egypt. Karim graduated from New York University in 2005 with dual majors in Economics and Political Science and a minor in Entertainment Media and Technology. On January 28, 2011, Karim joined his fellow Egyptians in Tahrir Square to fight for democratic rights for his country. Karim quickly understood that his most valuable contribution to the revolution and the building of the country would be to create a platform for debate, discussion and the spreading of important ideas. In effect, Karim was focused on providing a space where the Tahrir square conversation could continue for generations to come—online and in the form of weekly debates. In order to do this, Amer created and co-founded two initiatives for Egypt: Gessoor, a nonpartisan group of concerned Egyptian citizens that offer a platform for productive political and socio-economic discourse by providing a variety of tools to Egyptian youth; and Dostour 2011(Constitution 2011), the first independent stage in Tahrir Square. Karim met Jehane Noujaim in Tahrir and agreed to assist her in making sure that a documentary chronicling the story of this incredible moment in history would be made to show the world the truth of the events that had unfolded.

The Square will have a multiplatform release on January 17, 2014, opening theatrically in select cities—including the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco, California—and available for streaming to Netflix subscribers. The Roxie screening will be co-hosted by the International Socialist Organization and co-sponsored by the Arab Resource Organizing Center and the Arab Cultural & Community Center. After the film's 6:45 screening on Wednesday, January 22 , there will be a skyped Q&A with Mostafa Ali, a journalist for Ahram Online and member of Egypt's Revolutionary Socialists.

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Michael Guillén: Your beginnings and how you grew into this project?

Jehane Noujaim: I grew up in Cairo. I grew up about ten minutes away from Tahrir Square. I was born to an American mother and an Egyptian father; they met in Boston. I went away to college but constantly came back to visit my family in Cairo. I made a film in 2007 called Egypt, We Are Watching You, which was about three women who were fighting for political change in Egypt. The film came out on BBC, but I'd been following what was going on with the protest for the last six years or so. At the end of 2010, Tunisia had exploded, a lot of Egyptians were saying, "If Tunisia could change their country, why can't we?"

There was a young man named Khaled Saeed who you saw at the very beginning of the film who had been arrested and badly tortured by the police, and a Facebook page had been created that asserted that such abuse by police should not be happening because "we are all Khaled Saeed." Every year on the 25th of January, Egyptians celebrate Police Day. And the reason why people came in such vast numbers to Tahrir Square on January 25, 2011 was basically to say, "No! We will not be treated like this."

I had a decision to make: whether to stay in Egypt (since I was there at this time) or accept an invitation to Davos, which I thought would be an interesting place to be because all the leaders of government, the top dignitaries of Egypt, were going to be there. I got there and, of course, nobody showed up because the streets of Cairo were exploding. I was completely in the wrong place at the wrong time and had to get back to Egypt as quickly as possible. I got on the first plane I could. I went through London and picked up the Canon cameras we used in the film because they didn't look like video cameras. All the camera equipment that looked like video cameras were being confiscated at the airport. I arrived at the airport and 20 minutes after landing was stopped by military at checkpoint. The car was searched by plainclothesmen—I wasn't sure who they were—and they found 10 copies of my previous film Egypt, We Are Watching You. Not the best title for a film being found by military intelligence as a country is exploding. So they took me in for questioning. I tried to destroy the DVD, but people who were cleaning the bath room found it, so I came clean. I said, "Look, I make films about people who I think are brave and doing things that should be shared with the world. And I am about to go to Tahrir Square to make this film." Ultimately, they let me go. I went directly to the Square and there found this incredible, magical place where—for the first time—men and women, secular and religious, from all different classes, were speaking to each other. I had grown up in Egypt at a time when people would be afraid to speak about politics to each other. And now here they all were speaking to each other. I saw and wanted to share that beauty. So that's how I started. Then I met the entire crew in the Square, because everybody was there. All of the characters we met in the first 18 days before Mubarak stepped down.

Karim Amer: I came down to the Square as a protester. Actually, a skeptical protester. I'm Egyptian American and I grew up between Cairo and Miami, Florida. Jehane and I had marched and protested in this country against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; but, I never really felt that our protests amounted to much impact. That made me skeptical of the protest in Egypt where we didn't have America's legacy of the 1960s. We didn't have the legacy that empowered the people. We didn't have these stories. We didn't have a Rosa Parks. We didn't have these moments that you could look up to. I thought, "If our protest didn't work in the U.S., how the hell would it have an impact in Egypt?" Thank God I was completely wrong!

I went down to the Square like so many other people and saw all this magic. I saw this moment where—for the first time—people weren't scared anymore. They recognized this moment in history: "This is it!" The feeling was, "You either take me and my grandkids and my great grandkids because we're going to be stuck in this mess forever or we take a stand now and say, 'We're not going to compromise on our freedom. We're not going to compromise on our principles. We're going to make change.' "

As a protester, I met Jahane in the Square. I had set up an open mic stage. There was a Muslim Brotherhood stage and a left wing party stage and we set up the first nonpolitical stage. It ended up becoming a sort of poetry stage where a person could have five minutes to say whatever they wanted to the entire Square; kind of like a Hyde Park thing. Most people would read poetry. Jahane and her crew started filming from our stage. Then she started trying to follow me as a character, and I was like: "I don't want to be a character in your movie; but, I'll help you produce it." So that's how it started for me. Then I met the whole crew in the Square.

Guillén: Can you speak a bit to how you assembled your cast of characters? One of the strengths of your film is that you use a handful of personalities to express evolving points of view, if dissimilar ideologies. How did you develop these character narratives over such a length of time?

Noujaim: Well, the film gods were with us, which is why we met such incredible people. In the first 18 days, so quickly, it didn't take long to meet people and find them. But we really wanted these characters to be people that were using the Square. That was very important to us because we felt that we were hitting on the zeitgeist of the time. There are squares all around the world and people who have been using squares—as public spaces—as political tools for change.

It's very simple actually choosing characters. They're people that you want to spend time with. People that challenge you, surprise you, that you would like to be close to, that you feel will take you on an interesting journey, that you're constantly curious about, that you wake up wanting to be with and wanting to film, because—if you're curious about their opinion and they're teaching you something—the thinking is that they'll probably be interesting to an audience.

Ahmed Hassan, courtesy of Noujaim Films

In terms of the individual characters, I first met Ahmed Hassan. Ahmed was this joyful guy who was incredibly street smart. He had a wisdom about what was happening. Here was a guy who had grown up selling lemons, his mother was illiterate and sold vegetables, but he's also someone who attracts people. He would start to have a conversation in the Square and, after 5 minutes, 50 people will be around him listening to him and asking questions. We knew we wanted to follow him.

I met Magdy Ashour because he was literally sleeping in the tent next door to our's and he was somebody who had been 25 years with the Muslim Brotherhood. I had never spent much time with somebody from the Brotherhood; but, he was so open to having conversations with people who had vastly different views than he did and we thought his would be a fascinating story to follow.

Khalid Abdalla & Ahmed Hassan, courtesy of Noujaim Films

Khalid Abdalla was somebody who I met through Aida Elkashef. I knew Aida—the young girl with the red glasses—from my previous film and she introduced me to Khalid and Cressida Trew. Khalid was able to be incredibly articulate about what was happening during very confusing times. I think that's partly because his father and his grandfather had all been activists in Egypt. Both of them had been jailed.

Ragia Omran is the human rights lawyer who we're making a film about separately. We wanted to have more of her in the film but most of her life has been spent in jails and prisons and police stations getting people out and, so, she wasn't present in the Square so much. But I've known her since kindergarten and she's gotten me out of prison three times. She's an amazing person. She was just awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in Washington. She's one of these people for whom every last person counts. When I was arrested for the longest period of time, 3 days, she was there the entire time. Everybody got out. They let 300 people out but there were still two minors left. She sent messengers to find the parents of the minors to come to the prison. It was Thanksgiving 2011. My mother made a big Thanksgiving dinner, everyone came over, but Ragia stayed at the prison, refusing to leave and basically saying, "If I don't stay here and wait for the parents to come, these parents will come and be told by the police that their kids were setting fire to police cars and throwing Molotov cocktails, they'll be beaten up and never go down to the Square to protest again. If I wait for the parents and tell them what really happened, then they'll be kids who will be saved and know the right way." So for Ragia, every last person she cares about.

Ramy Essam, courtesy of Noujaim Films

Amer: In terms of where the characters are now, Ahmed has learned how to film. In Tahrir Square the camera was his weapon and he's now become quite talented in using it. He actually gets jobs in Egypt as a shooter on all kinds of ads. He's also filming with Khalid's alternative media collective providing constant updates on what's really happening on the ground. Magdy is in a very tough situation because he has five kids, is unemployed, has many health complications from even before the Revolution, and is now on the run because the government has made the Brotherhood illegal. He's become a pariah. We spoke with him last night. He's in a difficult situation but we're trying to help him get through it. The rest of the characters are still continuing. Egypt recently placed a kind of memorial in the Square but it was a complete farce of what these events were about so Ramy Essam, the singer, and a bunch of guys went down and painted it and read. They said, "This is a memorial made of blood and not made of anything else until you start putting the people who committed these crimes on trial." So now there's a warrant out for Ramy's arrest. He just wrote a song about it because he doesn't really care.

That's how this movement has been taking place. We didn't pick the characters; they picked to be characters by their action. These were the people who continued coming back to the Square. Despite coming from completely different walks of life and backgrounds, economic levels and religious identities, what connects these characters is that all of them are unwilling to compromise on their principles. All of them have an understanding that what is happening in Egypt is not a transition period, it is a founding period. During a founding period you cannot compromise on your principles because every inch you fight for today will be worth miles in the future. It's the infrastructure of a new nation. That's what brings them all together.

Especially Khalid, who doesn't have to be there. He's a successful Hollywood actor. He was in The Kite Runner and The Green Zone. He could be with us here; but, he's there because he realizes that—if people like him aren't involved; if people who don't need to be there aren't involved—then the change isn't going to get the kind of attention it deserves. It's not going to be as full-encompassing.

Guillén (via Joe Loree): Did you use much acquired footage? Or was all this shot by you and your crew?

Noujaim: All of it was shot by us, except for the footage you see of tanks running over protesters. That was cell phone footage. There were four of us shooting: myself, Cressida Trew—who was actually Khalid Abdalla's wife. She wanted to be a part of the film and we thought, "You can go home with Khalid and be in the bedroom while he's figuring out his problems with what's happening on the street." That's why we have such intimate footage of Khalid. Cressida was with him all the time. I'm not sure if—when Khalid agreed to be in the film—he agreed to his wife following him home with a camera; but, it was great for the film.

Ahmed Hassan, courtesy of Noujaim Films

Within the film, one of the main characters Ahmed is taught by our main director of photography Muhammad Hamdy how to use the camera. Most of the front line footage where you see guns shooting at you is Ahmed's footage. He continues to film today, though he had never used a camera before. Hamdy, who was the most experienced and a great director of photography, met us in the Square and said, "Your white balance is all wrong. Your shutter speeds are wrong. You don't know how to use these cameras. I need to teach you." So we sat in the tent and he taught us all how to use our cameras and he became our DP.

Amer: Mind you, of course, that Jahane never takes credit herself. She actually shot the majority of the film. Some of the most intimate and emotional character moments are always her's. We need to give her props on that side. Including the fact that she was many times the only woman in the Square with a camera. It's very difficult to produce a film when your director doesn't understand the word fear or danger and gets arrested three times in the making of it.

We filmed over 1600 hours of material. We have enough to make multiple mini-series; but, it wasn't just about that, the shooting wasn't just about making a film, sometimes we would literally be the only cameras in the Square. Why people were filming so passionately is because there was an alternative narrative that was being built outside the Square. Here you had this story that we all wanted to feel was the revolution: 18 days, the dictator's gone, we can all go home and everything's fantastic. But less than a month later, Ramy Essam, the singer of the revolution, is tortured in the Egyptian Museum and it's nowhere to be seen or heard. It's not on television. It's not reported anywhere. That's when we knew that there was a story within the Square that was very different from the reality being shown outside the Square. That's when we started this process of filming everything we could.

Our materials have been used in court cases as people's evidence. We've been giving footage to all the media outlets so that, for example, in the film when you see the image of the body being dragged in the Square, that was shot by Cressida, uploaded by Khalid her husband, and then given out to all the main international news agencies. When that footage got played by the international news agencies, the Egyptian media had to play it and had to admit what was happening. That's been the way in which power has been held accountable and how this whole movement has taken place: one photo, one image, one post, one tweet, can fight back against whatever government force is trying to hide the truth.

Guillén: For all practical effects, with Egypt being run by the military, how do you ever expect to screen The Square in Egypt?

Noujaim: Pressure. Continued pressure. And more pressure. The Square has already received so much support abroad. If it is nominated, it will be the first Egyptian film ever nominated. Everybody in Egypt knows what the Oscar® is. I grew up with a video store down the street and the videos in that store were all Oscar®-nominated films. When we told Ahmed about the short list, he said, "This is incredible because our story is now going to be on an international stage and our narrative will not be able to be whitewashed and wiped away." There is the saying that history is written by the victors, and there is an attempt by the army to whitewash everything that has happened. Our argument to them is to continue to say, "All of this footage is up on line and what you don't see is the struggle that the Egyptian people have been through in order to get to where we are today. Any country around the world that has gone through similar change, it's crucial to be able to look back to evaluate the mistakes and successes you've had in order to move forward." That's what we're saying.

As I say all of this, my own family keeps telling me there is no way we'll be able to show this film in Egypt; but, I do think we've made an incredible stride in continuing to push. As we speak, we are showing it to members who are writing the constitution. We're showing it to the Egyptian Consul on Foreign Relations on January 27. If all else fails, we'll be on blow-up screens on the streets of Egypt and USPs.

Amer: The thing is that it's culture that's guiding the way in Egypt today, right? As long as we look at the revolution as the successes and failures of a political timeline of who wins an election or who loses an election, then we're only looking at one dimension of what this revolution really is. This revolution is not just about the ability to organize politically; that's one continuum. This revolution is about the shift of consciousness in culture and education, in gender lines, and in the role of religion in society. What cannot be stopped is art and the cultural space. If they try to block the truth, people will take photos and upload them. If they take the internet down, we'll draw on the walls. That's how the future of Egypt is being shaped by a new youth who are no longer willing to be stuck in that old story, whether it's the military or the Brotherhood or whatever other group will try to come and clamp down on freedom of expression. We're going to get the film out there and we have to believe in the unbelievable. That's what allowed this whole change to happen. Who would have thought a few protesters coming down to the street could get rid of a 30-year dictator?