Cairo - Exceptional events in the history of nations have always inspired artists, intellectuals and filmmakers. The January 25 revolution, which was extraordinary in its vehemence in the first l8 days, culminated with the ousting of the head of a regime believed to be one of the most well established in the region. Its sequence until now was expected to move the muses in the minds and hearts of creatively endowed people. But the few feature films, to date, that have touched upon aspects related one way or another to the revolution have very faintly and poorly expressed so rich an event. They cannot in any way be categorised as huge productions. While it is true that the revolution is still incomplete, the transitional phase has been brimming with contradictions and history-making details capable of instigating innovation in many aspects including art. However, the revolution seems to have left a creative impact on director Youssri Nassrallah who conveyed his feelings, enthusiasm and vision in a film entitled After the Battle. Apparently, the sincerity and high artistic standard of the work have qualified the film to take part in the official competition of the 65th session of Cannes Film Festival, a matter which is in itself a recognition of the film's competitive standard. The October war of l973 was also a significant stop in the history of this nation which came after years of frustration and disbelief in the ability of the Egyptian Armed Forces to win a war six years after the l967 defeat. The war inspired humane stories depicted in several films but none of them actually lived up to expectations of memorable international productions such as those commemorating World Wars I and II. Filmmaking is an international language that can be employed to disseminate concepts and convey images of local culture. People of the local film industry have actually a golden opportunity to take advantage of the January 25 revolution, which turned heads all over the world, to express their inner selves. They can show how talented and inspiring Egyptians are not only in real life but on the large screen as well.
