Cairo-set Cannes thriller takes aim at Egypt’s president

Director Tarik Saleh’s political thriller “Eagles of the Republic,” which premiered at Cannes, directly addresses Egyptian politics by featuring President Abdelfattah al-Sisi, using real footage and a lookalike actor. The film follows George Fahmy, an Egyptian actor coerced into making a propaganda film about Sisi, reflecting Saleh’s critique of state influence over the film industry and media portrayal of political figures. Inspired by the absurdity of a TV series glorifying Sisi, Saleh explores the pressures faced by artists in Egypt’s military-dominated political landscape.