Tarik Saleh’s new Cannes thriller, “Eagles of the Republic,” directly confronts Egyptian politics, including President Abdelfattah al-Sisi.
The film uses real footage of Sisi and a lookalike actor, sparking controversy.
Saleh, a Swedish-Egyptian director, felt compelled to include Sisi, stating his enduring presence in Egyptian politics.
The film, shot in Turkey, follows actor George Fahmy, played by Fares Fares, pressured to star in a propaganda film about Sisi.
Saleh was inspired by a pro-Sisi TV series, finding its portrayal of the president “absurd.”
He questions what he would do if forced to create such propaganda.
The film depicts a filmmaker similarly coerced.
Egypt, historically ruled by military-backed presidents, now sees Sisi navigating complex regional tensions.
The Gaza conflict has placed Sisi under diplomatic pressure, requiring a delicate balancing act.
Saleh’s film explores this political climate through a fictional lens.