Eagles of the Republic

In this blood-curdling neo-noir thriller by Swedish-Egyptian director Tarik Saleh, Egyptian film star George Fahmy suddenly falls out of favour with the authorities. To avoid losing his career and freedom, George is forced to accept an offer: to play the lead role in a propaganda biopic about the current president, Al-Sisi. 

While the authorities keep a close eye on him, the famous actor is drawn further and further into the shadowy world of Egyptian politics. The stylistically powerful Eagles of the Republic boldly exposes the corruption and paranoia that reigns under the authoritarian regime in Cairo, where the state has its claws in popular art and the star actor is in danger of falling prey to this ruthless power.

Eagles of the Republic is the third film in Tarik Saleh's so-called Cairo trilogy starring actor Fares Fares, following The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) and Cairo Conspiracy (2022), all of which examine and criticise political corruption in Egypt, each at a different level and in a different period. Eagles of the Republic premiered this spring in competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it received a Golden Palm nomination. The film was screened this autumn at the Toronto International Film Festival, was the closing film of the 53rd Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund and is Sweden's Oscar entry for best international film. The screening at the Northern Film Festival is a Dutch preview.