Documentary 'Tickling Giants' Shines A Light On Bassem Youssef, Egypt's Jon Stewart [Review]

MONTREAL — The first thing one might notice about “Tickling Giants” – a rousing documentary from Sara Taksler, recently screened at Just For Laughs – is just how audacious the first ten minutes are. Images of a violent revolution sweeping through North Africa are interlaced with a cynical edge of black comedy, punctuated by a fake end-credits sequence that is only the first of many fantastical, witty editing choices. A man is pointed out in the midst of the protests, taking selfies with the adoring, distracted crowd. It’s as if for a moment, this man has given them a reprieve from the drudgery of endless civilian unrest.

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This makes more sense when we learn that this man is Bassem Youssef, Egypt’s leading satirist who is often considered the “Egyptian Jon Stewart.” Starting from his beginnings as a humorous heart surgeon, ‘Giants’ details his rise to stardom and immense national influence after leaving his comfy job to pursue his dreams of creating quality television in an Egypt devoid of unbiased media. His program, sarcastically named “The Show,” stood defiantly at the center of Egypt’s public conscience from 2011 to 2014, and depressingly had 3 different presidents to satirize during this time. What started as a podcast quickly steamrolled its way into a viewership larger than Jon Stewart‘s, his own appearance on the show confirming the international importance of satirical news programming.

Jon Stewart in Tickling Giants (2016)

The toughest thing about watching ‘Giants’ is the fear of inevitable, the fear that all of this could easily come crashing down, with Youssef displaying a thorough lack of respect for a government he’s long last faith in, via a program that will certainly violate the country’s censorship laws. His satire is cutting and openly self-mocking, and we get the sense that Youssef’s complete refusal to take himself seriously might be a form of self-defense. “The Show” is constantly attacked from all sides throughout its four seasons, and jokes may be the only way for Youssef to keep his head above water. An early segment where he wears an oversized hat to comment on the president’s doctorate ceremony is as uncertain as it is hilarious, and you can feel the fear beneath the belly laughs of the audience.

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Paced with little care for economy, Taksler is much more interested in holding our attention with constant revelations and twists, turning this real-life story into somewhat of a political thriller, complete with violence lurking around every corner. At one point Youssef tells the crew that he feels like he’s “being watched,” a rather inconclusive statement that Taksler gives you the choice about whether to really believe it. It’s perfectly logical that Youssef might be losing himself in the controversy, an element that’s allowed to unfold across the documentary’s lengthy running time. 90 minutes would have flowed better, but the final length of almost two hours reveals a beautiful character study, with no shortage of twists and turns, many of which may leave you shaking with anger.

Bassem Youssef in Tickling GiantsWhat makes “Tickling Giants” stand out is not just the remarkable story it tells, but the flourishes director Sara Taksler adds to the tale. While the talking head format remains at the forefront, Taksler uses goofy-looking animation to inject metaphorical imagery during key moments of desperation for Youssef, adding a human, intimate, and home-spun touch. The recurring element of a feather – used to tickle the animated ‘Giants’ of the title – is a clever choice, adding a tasteful level of artistic singularity to an otherwise familiar format. Taksler also stays away from high-speed music-backed montage, aware of how easily these can appear to bend the truth. Her artistic decisions are essential to the story being told, and never feel unnecessary or circumspect.

As the story winds down, after being pummeled with endless false resolutions and false hope, Youssef’s story delivers a bittersweet coup de grace of moving humanity. The man is solemn, but he looks hopeful towards the future, and we can’t help but feel so too. Even with the Arab Spring fresh in his mind, Youssef plays with his little girl and looks genuinely happy. While the world seems to be slipping into turmoil, Bassem Youssef shows us that all we need is a little laughter. [B]