Project Detail

Tickling Giants

Synopsis

Cairo cardiologist Bassem Youssef ('the Egyptian Jon Stewart') quit surgery to front the hugely popular TV satire Al Bernameg (The Show) amid the country’s turbulent Arab Spring-led political upheavals. Youssef ultimately fell foul of government crackdowns. His programme was cancelled and he was forced to flee the country with his family.
This fascinating, fearless and often very funny documentary charts Youssef’s incredible late-career shift, detailing his and his team's determination and courage in standing up to successive totalitarian regimes, reminding us just how potent and dangerous comedy really can be.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2016 - Laugh Strand

Details

Year
2016
Type of film
Features
Running time
111 mins
Director
Sara Taksler
Producer
Sara Taksler, Frederic Rose, Maziar Bahari, Monica Hampton
Editor
Jamie Canobbio, Thomas M. Vogt, Tyler H. Walk
Screenwriter
Sara Taksler
Director of Photography
Wail Gzoly
Composer
Paul Tyan
Principal cast
Bassem Youssef, Jon Stewart

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

US, Egypt, UK coproduction

Tickling Giants

c/o Sarkasmos Productions
Sara Taksler

Sales Company

Ro*Co Films International

80 Liberty Ship Way, Suite 5
94965 Sausalito
USA

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Spacewoman Spacewoman

Director: Hannah Berryman

Year: 2024

A landmark feature documentary about astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle.<br /> Eileen’s incredible journey starts with her smalltown beginnings, sees her smash through many glass ceilings, and culminates in four dramatic space shuttle missions, the last being possibly the most dangerous and most important of them all.<br /> At its heart the film is the moving human drama of one family, where a mother’s extraordinary career takes us straight to the big philosophical question of what is the level of acceptable risk in human endeavour? <br /> This film celebrates Commander Collins’ trailblazing NASA career which opened the way for women to become spacecraft pilots and commanders, and proved a perfect riposte to a previous generation of male astronauts who thought there was no place for women to lead the way in space. <br /> Official Selection DOC NYC 2024 - World premiere<br /> Official Selection CPH:DOX 2025 - European premiere

Tomorrow's Too Late Tomorrow's Too Late

Director: Terry Loane

Year: 2025

In a never before seen way, we are invited to see up close and intimately the changes a transgender person may experience during a medical transition. Having carved out a successful career as ‘Lots’ Holloway (his previous name and artist’s alias), will Dylan Holloway be accepted by his fans who fell in love with his music in the same way. From the highs of gender euphoria to the challenging lows of self-doubt and vulnerability - will all of Dylan’s dreams come true in his mission to be his authentic self or will he have to give up the one thing that’s always brought him solace, his voice.<br /> Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2025 - World premiere

64 Days | the crowd and its leaders 64 Days: The Insurrection Playbook

Director: Nick Quested

Year: 2025

Documenting the January 6 assault on the US Capitol - Filmmaker Nick Quested was embedded with the Proud Boys, and other far-right groups during the months leading up to the insurrection, capturing exclusive footage of figures including Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes that was used as evidence in hearings of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, and as part of their larger investigation.