CANNES – After screening “Eagles of the Republic,” a world premiere in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, we’re confident that Tarik Saleh will not be allowed back into Egypt anytime soon. The writer and director has been exiled from the Arab nation for a decade, before a planned shoot of “The Nile Hilton Incident.” That film, which depicted police corruption based on a real-life murder, was eventually filmed in friendlier Morocco. He followed that up in 2022 with “Boy From Heaven,” a searing indictment of Egypt’s NSA (National Security Agency). The third chapter in his unofficial “Cairo” trilogy, “Republic,” is even more daring, taking on the nation’s “democratically elected” president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
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Saleh exposes the increasing lack of free speech, personal freedom, and media manipulation through the eyes of George Fahmy (Fares Fares), the most popular actor in Egypt. As his nation increasingly battles the influence of Islamic fundamentalism, the “Pharaoh of the Screen” has used his celebrity privilege to live an existence with few institutional guardrails. He has made the movies he’s wanted to make, has a relatively glamorous life, and is quietly separated from his wife, allowing him to date a much younger woman, up-and-coming actress, Donya (Lyna Khoudri). His only son, Ramy (Suhaib Nashwan), is the true love of his life, but is outwardly embarrassed by his father’s girlfriend.
When Fahmy’s agent Fawzy (Ahmed Kairy) informs him that the military would like him to star in a biopic about el-Sisi, he immediately dismisses it. He may not be outwardly political, but those are not his politics, and he’s not going to star in an obvious propaganda movie. He soon learns the regime won’t take no for an answer. First, the film he’s almost finished with is recast with the actor who, as Fahmy describes it, is the actor you cast when you can’t get him. Then, agents coerce Rula (Cherien Dabis), a friend and fellow actor, into participating in a television interview where she barely makes it through the regime-controlled host’s questions without disparaging him. If Fahmy won’t play, the government will make his life hell.
After finally agreeing to the role, Fahmy discovers the project is being produced by a new media company (likely owned by the Military, as many businesses are in Egypt) with a shiny, modern studio lot. The only saving grace in Fahmy’s eyes is that the project only covers el-Sisi’s time as the Minister of Defense under the old regime. It’s not glorifying his time as president. Moreover, he’s convinced a filmmaker he respects to direct it (a filmmaker who also had no choice in the matter). It may be a propaganda film, but it’s going to be a good one.
Waiting in the wings, watching the proceedings from afar, is Dr. Mansour (Amr Waked, recognizable to many most recently from his role in “Ramy”), an advisor to the president. When Dr. Mansour starts to give notes to the director and criticizes Fahmy’s performance, the actor confronts him. Dr. Mansour is right, though. Fahmy, like most of his scared co-stars, has effectively been phoning it in. He may be corrupt, but unlike Fahmy, he’s always going to tell the truth.
As the film continues shooting, Fahmy finds himself increasingly entrenched in the social circle of a clique in the upper echelon of the Military. When they offer to help him in any way they can, he finds himself forced to capitulate. Whether it’s facilitating the release of a neighbor’s son from jail for writing a critical comment on social media or getting Rula off an industry blacklist, he uses his newfound connections. But old habits die hard, and when Fahmy begins an affair with the Defense Minister’s Western-educated wife, Suzanne (Zineb Triki), it’s obvious he’s playing with fire.
Fahmey is being manipulated by multiple parties, however. And when Saleh pulls the curtain on what is truly going on, “Eagles” takes a decidedly tense turn. A decade or so ago, the events Saleh depicts in the final act would seem ludicrous or over the top. In a contemporary lens, they seem horrifyingly plausible. And, perhaps, too close to home for anyone in the Egyptian government who eventually watches the film. It’s powerful stuff, but also leaves you somewhat wanting. Despite a fantastic performance by Fares (and a stellar score from Alexandre Desplat), “Eagles” doesn’t have the emotional gut punch you’d expect. But you believe that everything Saleh depicts can or will occur, and that’s an achievement in and of itself. [B]
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