ABDO

Jakob Gross | Egypt, Germany 2014 | 73 Min. | OmeU

Abdo is a coming of age documentary that portrays two years in the life of a young activist in Egypt. Abdo, a 19-year old Ultras football fan, atheist and anarchist with a religious Salafist family background looking for his identity, lives the extreme. In Tahrir Square he is a steadfast revolutionary; in the stadium he is part of the worldwide youth culture of Ultra football-fans. As a passionate videographer, Abdo films everything: bloody fights in the streets, discussions about protests, parties with friends and conversations about girls. The tragic events escalate as he loses three friends during riots in a football stadium in which over 70 people are killed. Growing more radical, Abdo decides to go to Gaza. On his way through illegal smuggler tunnels heavy rainfall causes the tunnel to collapse minutes after Abdo has left it, killing other travellers inside.

What consequences does being exposed to violence in such a pivotal age have on a young person’s life? With the Egyptian revolution as a background the film presents an individual story and shows the personal side of uprisings. The film captures the spirit of the time and addresses conflicts that young people are living through around the world.