Overview

• ‘Eagles of the Republic,’ directed by Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh, debuted in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and is seeking U.S. distribution.
• The film follows George Fahmy, a fictional Egyptian actor played by Fares Fares, who is forced to star in a state-backed biopic glorifying President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi under threats to his son.
• Incorporating real footage of el-Sisi and a lookalike actor, the film critiques the intersection of propaganda, political coercion, and the role of art under authoritarian regimes.
• Shot in Turkey with a largely non-Egyptian cast, the film reflects the challenges faced by politically critical filmmakers working outside of Egypt’s restrictive environment.
• The movie pays homage to Egypt’s cinematic heritage with a vibrant opening sequence inspired by classic 1950s and 1960s film posters.