Protecting the Sudanese Uprising: Role of Hind Meddeb
In a somewhat romantic fashion, Hind Meddeb embarked on an impromptu journey, "I took off without a backwards glance." On the heels of mid-May 2019, she found herself in the heart of Khartoum, Sudan. The sudden collapse of dictator Omar Al-Bashir, ousted by a coup just the previous month, presented an opportunity ripe with uncertainty - a captivating state that Meddeb relishes.
She recounts, "It wasn't like Tahrir Square [in Cairo] or Avenue Bourguiba [in Tunis]," having documented both for her films Electro Chaabi (2013) and Tunisia Clash (2015). Instead, she arrived exactly at a time when a sit-in was in full swing, close to the presidential quarter. "It was a city within a city, a true utopian city, with its artists' quarters, makeshift clinics, schools for street children, and a library boasting 5,000 freely accessible books," she depicts. This breathtaking scene was meticulously captured for her documentary, Sudan, Remember Us, which premiered in theaters on May 7, 2022.
Sudan, Remember Us, also referred to as Sudan, Remember, offers a gripping account of the 2019 Sudanese revolution and its fallout, focusing on the resilience of four young activists. These proponents of change used poetry, music, and art as their weapons in their crusade for democratic reform following the downfall of Omar Al-Bashir's 30-year regime. The film delves into the struggles they faced as their country devolved into civil war, presenting moments of defiance amidst escalating violence.
The timeline for the film's release varies, with its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival (Giornate degli Autori) in 2024, followed by screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival. A UK-Ireland theatrical release is scheduled for June 27, 2025. The film's themes center around youth activism, the power of artistic resistance, and the ongoing struggle against military dictatorship. The project is a France-Tunisia co-production, brought to life under the direction of Meddeb, a French-Tunisian-Moroccan journalist-turned-filmmaker, over a period of four years from 2019-2023.
- Hind Meddeb's documentary, "Sudan, Remember Us," meticulously describes the 2019 Sudanese revolution, focusing on the resilience of four activists who utilized poetry, music, and art in their fight for democratic reform after the coup that ousted Omar Al-Bashir.
- The movie offers a gripping account of the challenges these activists faced as their country descended into civil war, showcasing moments of defiance amidst escalating violence.
- "Sudan, Remember Us" was released in theaters on May 7, 2022, and will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2024, followed by screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- A UK-Ireland theatrical release is scheduled for June 27, 2025, and the film's themes include youth activism, the power of artistic resistance, and the ongoing struggle against military dictatorship.
- The France-Tunisia co-production was directed by Meddeb, a French-Tunisian-Moroccan journalist-turned-filmmaker, over a period of four years from 2019-2023, and it provides a unique perspective on the lifestyle, entertainment, and social-media culture that emerged during the revolution in Sudan.
