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

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The Premiere of ‘The Encampments’ couldn’t be more aptly scheduled. This documentary, offering insights from students about encampments at Columbia University, is set to grace New York theaters just three days after its debut at CPH:DOX. A week later, it will make its way to Los Angeles theaters. In anticipation of the film’s global release, two key figures, both students at Columbia University, have made headlines in numerous newspapers: Mahmoud Khalil, detained by ICE for protesting the war in Gaza, and Grant Miner, expelled from Columbia for similar reasons. The decision to expedite the film’s release stems from these events.

Not only is “The Encampments” timely, but it’s also a powerful protest film that mirrors the passion and determination of the students who spearheaded the spring demonstrations. The directors, Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker, begin the film by showcasing news media clips labeling the protesters as “radical,” “extreme,” and “disgusting.” However, they swiftly shift their focus to three students who were central figures in this event. This setup serves to challenge and clarify any preconceived notions about what you may have heard.

The movie primarily focuses on three key student figures: Khalil, a Palestinian-origin student, acted as the spokesperson for his peers, discussing their requests with university officials as the designated negotiator. Miner, who identifies as Jewish, served as the leader of the student labor union. Lastly, Sueda Polat, a graduate student focusing on human rights, is the first character we’re introduced to in the film.

In interviews filmed by the front camera, the trio discuss their motives for attending Columbia University and their motivation behind opposing the Gaza conflict. Their speech is uncomplicated, direct, and transparent. The expressions on their faces mirror one another’s feelings. They articulate their requests directly: They wish to ensure that their tuition fees at Columbia are not utilized to cause harm or take innocent lives in Gaza. In their call for the university to avoid investing in arms-manufacturing corporations, they draw parallels with student activists from past generations who protested against the Vietnam War during the 1960s and 1970s — a connection that the filmmakers emphasize through archival footage.

The film ‘The Encampments’ narrates the events in a straightforward and comprehensible manner. Initially, the students staged protests, eventually calling for disinvestment from the university’s board of trustees – a strategy they had effectively used during other disputes across the globe. However, when Columbia University refused to meet their demands, the students chose to set up camp on the university grounds. The filmmakers were granted unrestricted access to the campus and positioned themselves near the action within the tents that the students had constructed. While the visuals may seem familiar to those who followed this story online, they carry a greater impact here due to the longer scenes, providing a complete account of the situation at Columbia during that time. Additionally, we hear from the student leaders and participants who were part of the movement, offering insights into their experiences.

Placed near the chants and announcements, crowds are whisked away to the lawns and halls of Columbia, where cameras document not just the demonstrations but also the aspects that prolonged this movement: the music students danced to, the meals they partook, the poems they recited. As a cameraman, Pritsker traverses through the fabric of numerous active students at the encampments, their determination etched on their faces dominating the scene.

The editing flows smoothly, swiftly capturing moments quickly but also pausing when necessary for poignant scenes without haste. The transition between student testimonies and the encampments helps tell the tale naturally. This method proves particularly potent in the latter part of the movie, as the encampments expand to various universities. Consequently, we hear interviews from a multitude of people, and the narrative unfolds not just in New York, but also in California, Georgia, and numerous other campuses.

Throughout the entire process, Workman and his fellow editor Mahdokht Mahmoudabadi skillfully maintain the smooth progression of events, never once losing sight of the storyline. The music, not created specifically for the movie, appears at select critical junctures, heightening the suspense while simultaneously allowing the rest of the film to avoid instructing the audience’s emotions through a continuous score. Instead, brief musical segments are strategically employed when necessary, imbuing the film with a raw, authentic feel reminiscent of cinéma vérité.

In just 80 minutes, “The Encampments” presents a gripping tale based on real-life events. The short runtime suits the story well, as its conclusion remains uncertain and open-ended. As a glimpse into a specific few weeks that witnessed the birth and spread of a protest movement, it proves to be a powerful and insightful documentary. Interestingly, in one of the final scenes where Khalil appears, he is asked about his fate if deported, to which he replies, “I will survive.

The Encampments” demonstrates the same resilience and conviction in action that is seen in other youths, who shoulder the task of driving change.

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2025-03-27 00:17