Nusur aljumhuriati / Republikens örnar / Eagles of the Republic (in person: Tarik Saleh)

Tarik Saleh: Nusur aljumhuriati / نسور الجمهورية/ Republikens örnar / Eagles of the Republic (SE/FR/DK/FI 2025) with Zineb Triki (Suzanne) and Fares Fares (George El-Nabawi aka George Fahmy).

/ نسور الجمهورية/ Behind the Scenes: Eagles of the Republic

Sweden, France, Denmark, Finland 2025

Director: Tarik Saleh

Starring: Fares Fares, Lyna Khoudri, Cherien Dabis, Amr Waked, Zineb Triki

    Languages: predominantly Arabic, some English

    129 min

    Distributor: SF Studios, subtitles: English

    Love & Anarchy 38th Helsinki International Film Festival (HIFF)

    In person: Tarik Saleh, interviewed by Marta Balaga. Also in presence: Jimmy Karlsson and Sherwan Haji.

    Viewed at Bio Rex Lasipalatsi, Sun 21.9.2025 at 18.00–20.09

Inari Ylinen (HIFF 2025): "The final instalment of the Cairo trilogy is a sharp political thriller about a vain film star, offering a pointed commentary on the state of democracy in Egypt. The film will be followed by a fascinating Behind the Scenes discussion with director Tarik Saleh."

"Acclaimed Swedish-Egyptian director Tarik Saleh will visit the Love & Anarchy Festival with his latest film, which premiered in competition at Cannes. Eagles of the Republic concludes Saleh’s series of political thrillers, the Cairo Trilogy, whose earlier parts The Nile Hilton Incident and Boy from Heaven will also be screened at this year’s festival. After the screening of Eagles of the Republic, Saleh will take part in a fascinating Behind the Scenes discussion, where Variety journalist Marta Balaga will interview him about the stages of making the film."

"The star of the Cairo Trilogy, Fares Fares, naturally takes the lead role in Eagles of the Republic as George Fahmy—a charming but vain film star who unwillingly becomes entangled in Egypt’s political scheming. Those in power have chosen George to play the lead in a propaganda film about President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, ironically titled “The Will of the People”—and it soon becomes clear that refusing the role is not an option. The situation becomes even more complicated when the star grows close to the wife of the general overseeing the film’s production."

"Blending intense suspense, biting humour, sharp social critique, and breathtaking action, Saleh brings his trilogy to a powerful conclusion. His depiction of the state’s propaganda machinery resonates strongly with the present day—even beyond the context of Egyptian society." Inari Ylinen

"Kairo-trilogian huipentava poliittinen trilleri turhamaisesta filmitähdestä on täpäkkä kannanotto Egyptin demokratian tilaan. Elokuvan jälkeen järjestetään kiehtova Behind the Scenes -keskustelu ohjaaja Tarik Salehin kanssa."

"Ruotsalais-egyptiläinen menestysohjaaja Tarik Saleh saapuu R&A-vieraaksi Cannesin kilpasarjassa ensi-iltansa saaneen uutuutensa kanssa. Eagles of the Republic huipentaa Salehin poliittisten jännärien Kairo-trilogian, jonka aiemmat osat The Nile Hilton Incident ja Salaliitto Kairossa nähdään myös tänä vuonna festivaaliohjelmistossa. Eagles of the Republic -näytöksen jälkeen Saleh esiintyy kiehtovassa Behind the Scenes -keskustelussa, jossa Variety-lehden toimittaja Marta Balaga haastattelee häntä elokuvan tekemisen vaiheista."

"Kairo-trilogian tähti Fares Fares esiintyy itseoikeutetusti Eagles of the Republicin pääosassa charmanttina mutta turhamaisena filmitähtenä nimeltä George Fahmy, joka sotkeutuu vastentahtoisesti Egyptin poliittiseen juonitteluun. Vallanpitäjät kaavailevat Georgelle pääosaa presidentti Abdel Fattah el-Sisistä kertovassa propagandaelokuvassa, joka kulkee ironisesti nimellä ”Kansan tahto” – ja nopeasti käy ilmi, ettei hänelle anneta vaihtoehtoa kieltäytyä roolista. Soppa syvenee, kun tähti alkaa lähentyä elokuvatuotantoa valvovan kenraalin vaimon kanssa."

"Piinaavaa jännitystä, purevaa huumoria, terävää yhteiskuntakritiikkiä ja päätähuimaavaa toimintaa yhdistellen Saleh vie trilogiansa menestyksekkääseen päätökseen. Valtion propagandakoneiston kuvaus resonoi vahvasti nykyajassa myös egyptiläisen yhteiskunnan kontekstin ulkopuolella." Inari Ylinen

AA: Tarik Saleh's Eagles of the Republic is a larger-than-life satire about the struggle between liberation and authoritarian militarism in contemporary Egypt, as seen from the viewpoint of the protagonist, the biggest film star of the country, George Fahmy (Fares Fares). The ambitions and the points of comparisons are the greatest: Chaplin (The Great Dictator), Lubitsch (To Be Or Not To Be) - not forgetting Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator). Like in all of them, it is about playing the part. Like in Shakespeare, the world is a stage. Sex makes the world go round as much as violence.

Eagles of the Republic is different from the previous film of Tarik Saleh's Cairo trilogy, Conspiracy in Cairo, also known as Boy from Heaven. That film was a taut political thriller. Eagles of the Republic is  a lavish spectacle, loose and sprawling, unafraid of bad taste. I like the ambition, the cast is appealing, and I learn a lot about Egypt and its magnificent film production.