The Square

The Square follows a group of Egyptian activists who take up life in Cairo's Tahrir Square as they push for a democratic future after Hosni Mubarak's ouster. Instead of a single protagonist, the film moves between organizers, musicians, and medics, tracing their daily actions, private doubts, and public protests. They use music, humor, social media, and sheer stubbornness to organize, protect one another, and challenge entrenched power. The camera stays close to their conversations, their clashes with police and political factions, and the ways small decisions have large consequences. The film doesn't resolve the conflict, it often keeps you with the people while the larger political struggle continues to unfold.

Directed by Jehane Noujaim, The Square was released in 2013 as a feature documentary that directly records the Egyptian uprising on the ground in Cairo. Noujaim spent months filming with activists, blending observational footage and interviews to capture shifting politics.

The Square earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature, which raised its profile internationally and drew attention to the activists it follows. It was also discussed across critics' circles and appeared on a number of year-end lists, reinforcing its place in conversations about modern protest cinema and history.

Images and footage from the film circulated widely online and in international news coverage, shaping how many outside Egypt understood the protests. Scenes from Tahrir Square came to symbolize the Arab Spring's hopes and the messy reality of political change, and the film influenced how later documentaries portray street-level activism.

Critics generally praised The Square for its immediacy and human focus, reflected in a 7.627/10 user vote average from 158 votes. Reviewers noted its raw footage and intimate access, and many saw it as an urgent look at activism, state power, idealism, and the costs of political struggle and aftermath.