Cairo traffic can justifiably be called an experimental chaos. Streetlights seem to be regarded on principle as mere lighting consoles, erected to adorn the city but otherwise negligible. Taxis, however, are looked upon as halfway trustworthy ferries navigating this erratic stream of road users, all the more so when the whole city has been set in motion even more than usual. Produced between March and September 2011 during the blossoming of the Arab Revolution and recorded with the smallest available equipment, permanently installed in several taxis, “Otra noche en la tierra” is an exciting picture of Egyptian society during those months. Dozens of passengers share their concerns (frequently) or euphoria (sometimes), their expectations and fears in view of an uncertain future with us. The most interesting moment in a taxi ride, according to the Spanish director David Muñoz (who acted as cameraman, producer and editor), is the one when the taxi turns from a vehicle to an uncensored communication space, when this strange mix of anonymity and privacy becomes the catalyst for breathtaking moments of human bonding. One could even say when the human condition shows its many faces.
Ralph Eue
Prize of the Trade Union ver.di and Prize of the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique 2012
