Screening: Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark

Shouting in the Dark does not fall short of its tagline: “The story of the Arab revolution that was abandoned by the Arabs, forsaken by the West and forgotten by the world.”

Shot undercover by Al Jazeera’s May Ying Welsh, the documentary tells the story of the revolution in Bahrain that has been going on since February last year out of sight of the foreign press.

The film was criticised by Bahrain’s foreign minister and other government officials. However, Shouting in the Dark went on to receive one of the most prestigious recognitions in journalism–2011 Foreign Press Association’s Documentary of the Year Award.

 Most importantly, however, the film is achieving its goal of exposing one of the most violent revolutions in the Arab Spring.

**Winner of the 2011 Foreign Press Association’s Documentary of the Year Award**

Oscar winning executive producer Jon Blair will be joining us at the Frontline Club to moderate a discussion with director May Ying Welsh via Skype and ex-Bahraini MP Ali Mahdi Alaswad.

(Ali Alaswad was an active paritcipant in the February 14th protests. Ali Alaswad was elected to the Bahrain Parliament in October 2010, with the backing of 87% of his constituents but resigned in February 2011, along with 17 other Al Wefaq MP’s, in response to the brutal crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations. He was forced to leave Bahrain shortly afterwards as the Authorities targeted opposition MP’s, along with anyone else involved in the protest movement. He is now based in the UK where he continues his political work to achieve democratic reform in Bahrain.)

Director: May Ying Welsh

Executive Producer: Jon Blair

Year: 2011

Length: 51′