logo
‘The Encampments' Review: Timely Doc Covers 2024 U.S. Campus Protests Through the Eyes of the Students

‘The Encampments' Review: Timely Doc Covers 2024 U.S. Campus Protests Through the Eyes of the Students

Yahoo26-03-2025

'The Encampments' could hardly be opening on a more timely date. The documentary, which chronicles the encampments at Columbia from the students' perspective, will hit New York theaters three days after its premiere at CPH:DOX, then expand to Los Angeles a week later. In the lead-up to the film's international screening, two of its protagonists, both students at Columbia University, landed on the front pages of many newspapers: Mahmoud Khalil, arrested by ICE for protesting against the war in Gaza, and Grant Miner, who was expelled by Columbia for the same reason. The film was rushed into release for these reasons.
However, its timeliness is not the only reason to see 'The Encampments.' It is also an urgent protest film that carries the same conviction and resolve of the students who organized these demonstrations last spring. Directors Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker start the film with news media footage that calls the protestors 'radical,' 'extreme' and 'disgusting,' among other provocative terms. Then the filmmakers turn their lens on three students who were at the forefront of this situation. It's the classic bait-and-switch setup, designed to dispute and explain what you might have heard.
More from Variety
Lightdox Boards Monica Stromdahl's 'Flophouse America' Ahead of CPH:DOX World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Putin Assassination Target Christo Grozev on Why Life Has Become Even More Dangerous: 'The Bad Guys Now Are Seen as Being OK in the U.S.'
Sex-Selective Abortions in Armenia, Moldova's Healthcare System, Infertility in Georgia, and More Explored at CPH:DOX
The film concentrates on three of the student leaders. Khalil, who is of Palestinian origin, was tasked with presenting his colleagues' demands, as the student negotiator with the university administrators. Miner, who is Jewish, was a student workers union leader. The third is Sueda Polat, a human rights graduate student whose face is the first we see.
Through front-facing camera interviews, the three talk about the reasons they joined Columbia and why they felt compelled to protest the war in Gaza. Their words are simple, straightforward and clear. Their faces carry the same emotions. They put their demands plainly: They don't want the money they pay Columbia for their education to be used to kill innocent people in Gaza. In their demand that their university not invest in corporations that make weapons, they recall the previous generations of student activists who protested against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s — a historical linkage that the filmmakers make clear through the use of archival footage.
'The Encampments' tells this story in a linear and easily digestible way. The students started protesting, then demanded divestment from the university board of trustees, a playbook they have successfully followed before amid other conflicts in other parts of the world. When Columbia ignored all their demands, they decided to camp out on the lawns of the university. The filmmakers had open access to the campus and installed themselves close to the action within the tents the students had erected. Though the images might seem familiar to those who followed this story on social media, they take on added resonance in this context, since we see more than just short snippets or newsreels. Longer scenes take in the complete story of what was happening at Columbia at the time, with testimony from the students who led and participated in the movement.
Positioned close to the chants and to the loudspeaker proclamations, audiences are transported to the lawns and halls of Columbia, where cameras capture not just the protests but all the other actions that sustained this movement and gave it longevity: the music the students danced to, the food they shared, the poems they read. Acting as cinematographer, Pritsker moves through the tapestry of the many students in action at the encampments, the conviction on their faces filling the frame.
The editing is fast and nimble, yet slows down enough when needed to let particularly moving scenes play out in their time with no rush. The seamless cutting from the students' testimony and back to the encampments allows the story to be organically told. This is most effective later in the film, as the encampments spread to other universities. Suddenly, there are interviews with more people, and the story goes from New York to California to Georgia and many other campuses.
Through it all, Workman and his co-editor Mahdokht Mahmoudabadi keep it all flowing smoothly, never losing the narrative thread. The music, which is not original to the film, only comes in at a handful of pivotal moments, adding to the tension but also freeing the rest of the film of didactically guiding the audience's emotions. There is no continuous score hammering the emotional highs. Rather, shorter musical pieces are used only when absolutely needed, giving the film a stark, gritty, cinéma vérité style.
At only 80 minutes, 'The Encampments' tells a fascinating, ripped-from-the-headlines story. Its brevity is apt, since the incomplete story is still unfolding, and nobody knows where or how it ends. However, as a snapshot of a particular few weeks in which a protest movement was born and spread, it's an effective and prescient documentary. Eerily, in one of the last shots in which Khalil is shown, he's asked by an off-camera voice, 'What would happen to you if you were deported?' to which he responds, 'I will live.'
'The Encampments' shows that same determination and confidence from other young people who carry the responsibility of attempting change.
Best of Variety
The Best Albums of the Decade

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Army veteran joins anti-ICE protest in Dallas and ‘calls on conscience' of fellow service members
Army veteran joins anti-ICE protest in Dallas and ‘calls on conscience' of fellow service members

Yahoo

time12 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Army veteran joins anti-ICE protest in Dallas and ‘calls on conscience' of fellow service members

A uniformed U.S. Army veteran has provoked anger among MAGA conservatives by joining a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Dallas, Texas, on Monday. In a viral video recorded at the event, the soldier does not hold back in her criticism of President Donald Trump for activating 4,000 members of the National Guard and 700 Marines to help police the anti-ICE demonstrations that have raged in Los Angeles for five days and have since spread to other major American cities. 'We are not pawns for Donald Trump's agenda,' the woman, wearing a camouflage uniform bearing the name tag 'Colado,' says in the video shared by left-leaning X account BreakThrough News. BREAKING: After Trump deployed Marines to LA, this military member joined an anti-ICE protest in Dallas, declaring, 'We won't be pawns in stripping away constitutional rights.' — BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) June 11, 2025 'Why now?' she continues. 'It's because the military was called upon against the protesters. In our oath to serve, we serve the people of the United States, the Constitution. These constitutional rights are being stripped and just denied. 'And the military will not be pawns to that. That's why I'm calling on the conscience of military members who served previously and now. We have a conscience, we have a mind and we have a duty, a moral obligation to say no and resist.' The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for its response to her comments. Online, conservatives wasted no time in calling for the woman, subsequently identified as Carmen Colado, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst, to be dishonorably discharged or court-martialled for publicly criticizing the commander-in-chief's orders. Some argued that her actions constituted a violation of the U.S. military's Uniform Code of Military Justice and called for Article 15 to be invoked against her, which empowers a commanding officer to order nonjudicial punishments less severe than a court-martial. These might include restrictions on duty, extra duty, forfeiture of pay, and, in some cases, confinement; however, since Colado appears to have left the service, it is unlikely to apply. She describes herself on Instagram as the 'proud daughter of an illegal immigrant hero who saved my life' and posts photos of friends and family, poetry, pencil drawings, and even a short film she has directed. Her posts also include an inspirational quote from Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green, who was censured for interrupting President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress earlier this year, on the occasion of a Dallas protest march calling for immigration reform. 'To protect liberty and justice for all – to protect government of the people, by the people, for the people – to protect what this country has in its great and noble ideals, we have to do what is necessary,' Green's quote reads.

Musk says he regrets social media posts targeting Trump and more top headlines
Musk says he regrets social media posts targeting Trump and more top headlines

Fox News

time13 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Musk says he regrets social media posts targeting Trump and more top headlines

1. Musk says he regrets social media posts targeting Trump 2. White House brings receipts after Newsom denies contact over LA riots 3. Trump vows consequences for 'animals' burning American flags CHAOS RETURNS – Rodney King riots officer says LA mayor acted 'too late' as anti-ICE violence engulfs city. Continue reading … ELITE UPSET – Liberal enclave in panic mode after ICE arrests dozens in wealthy vacation hotspot. Continue reading … AT A CROSSROADS – Final defense witness in Karen Read trial pumps brakes on prosecutors' case. Continue reading … DARK DESIRES – Diddy's alleged 'sexual deviant' behavior distracts from government's case. Continue reading … TORRID AFFAIR – Married counselor who enticed student into sexual encounters learns punishment. Continue reading … -- HERITAGE RESTORED – Crowd at Fort Bragg surprised with big announcement from Trump. Continue reading … POWER PLAY PAUSE – Trump tariffs survive as federal court overturns block in significant legal decision. Continue reading … TROUBLED WATERS – Democrat erupts at defense chief over submarine crisis as China's naval power grows. Continue reading … UNDER INDICTMENT – Democratic lawmaker faces prison after allegedly attacking federal agents at protest. Continue reading … EXIT STAGE LEFT – ABC News insider says there was 'no alternative' but for network to fire Terry Moran. Continue reading … PUSHING OUT THE FEDS – Dem demands ICE 'retreat' so locals can be 'given the opportunity to restore order.' Continue reading … ALL IN – New Hampshire enacts universal school choice, joining other states across the US. Continue reading … POINTING FINGERS – 'The View' co-host Sunny Hostin says ICE caused crisis in Los Angeles. Continue reading … SEN. RUBEN GALLEGO – Nuclear is the future – so why are Republicans blocking it? Continue reading … JOHN TEICHERT – US warfighters are losing a massive force multiplier advantage as China advances in space. Continue reading … -- SCARY SIPS – Your favorite alcoholic beverage could be linked to deadly form of cancer. Continue reading … 'NOT BUYING IT' – Social media rips Simone Biles' apology to Riley Gaines as PR statement. Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on festival firsts and summery snacks. Take the quiz here … FED UP – Americans slam fast-food favorite over their struggles with its sauce packets. Continue reading … LOOK WHO'S HOME – Military dad surprises family after year-long deployment. See video … SEN. JOHN KENNEDY – This is why the aliens won't talk to us. See video … MARC THIESSEN – Trump's responding to the anti-ICE riots exactly as he should. See video … Tune in to the FOX NEWS RUNDOWN PODCAST for today's in-depth reporting on the news that impacts you. Check it out ... What's it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading… Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday.

China Urges US to Comply With ‘Hard-Won' Deal After London Talks
China Urges US to Comply With ‘Hard-Won' Deal After London Talks

Yahoo

time16 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

China Urges US to Comply With ‘Hard-Won' Deal After London Talks

(Bloomberg) — China cheered a new framework to defuse trade tensions with the US after two days of intense negotiation, calling on both countries to adhere to the agreement and maintain dialogue to stabilize ties. Trump's Military Parade Has Washington Bracing for Tanks and Weaponry NY Long Island Rail Service Resumes After Grand Central Fire NYC Mayoral Candidates All Agree on Building More Housing. But Where? Senator Calls for Closing Troubled ICE Detention Facility in New Mexico California Pitches Emergency Loans for LA, Local Transit Systems 'As a next step, the two sides should follow the important consensus and requirements reached by the two heads of state on the phone call, further play a good role in the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism,' Vice Premier He Lifeng said, according to a Wednesday statement published by state broadcaster China Central Television. The two sides should 'show the spirit of good faith in abiding by their commitments and jointly safeguard the hard-won results of the dialogue,' he added. The statement offered no details on the specifics of the framework. The agreement comes after two days of high-stakes trade talks in London that concluded Tuesday night. Both sides said they'd agreed on a framework for implementing the Geneva deal that would revive the flow of sensitive goods between the countries. Despite reaching a truce that suspended drastic tariffs last month, the world's two largest economies later accused each other of violating that accord. US officials said China was stalling exports of rare earth magnets crucial for auto and defense sectors, while Beijing protested Washington's move to impose new curbs on chip design software, jet engine parts and student visas. The latest statement represents a step toward de-escalating a tariff war that had led to a slump in bilateral trade. However, it made no reference to rare earth magnets or US export controls, which had both been a focal point of the talks and main source of tension going into negotiations. The US and Chinese delegations will take that proposal back to their respective leaders, China's trade envoy Li Chenggang told reporters after the talks concluded. New Grads Join Worst Entry-Level Job Market in Years The Spying Scandal Rocking the World of HR Software American Mid: Hampton Inn's Good-Enough Formula for World Domination Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert Wants to Donate His Billions—and Walk Again The SEC Pinned Its Hack on a Few Hapless Day Traders. The Full Story Is Far More Troubling ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store