Eagles of the Republic: the final installment of the Cairo trilogy by Tarik Saleh

Eagles of the Republic, or cinema within cinema. As a struggling superstar actor, George El-Nabawi has no choice but to accept a strange role, playing President Al-Sissi in a biopic glamorizing his life. He finds himself thrust into the inner circles of power while dancing with danger.

As the final chapter of the Cairo Trilogy, Eagles of the Republic continues with the criticism of Egypt’s political and religious elite, as expounded in The Nile Hilton Incident and Walad Min Al Janna (Boy From Heaven).

“Eagles of the Republic is a pure film noir, just like The Nile Hilton Incident. At its heart is an fundamental existential question: ‘Should I bow down to this system?’ ”

Tarik Saleh could not have done it without his favorite actor, Fares Fares, who already voiced a character in Metropia, the director’s first animated feature film. He has played a detective in The Nile Hilton Incident, a colonel in Walad Min Al Janna (Boy From Heaven), and here he is again, this time in a very different role, playing the part of a movie star.

“I write for Fares. He has an amazing ability to transform himself, but he doesn’t get any special treatment. He’s simply one of the greatest actors in the world, and he’s never been better than in Eagles of the Republic.”

Alongside Fares Fares, Tarik Saleh casts two French actresses: Zineb Triki and Lyna Khoudri, who was also in the cast of 13 jours 13 nuits (13 Days 13 Nights) by Martin Bourboulon (Out of Competition). Amr Waked (seen in Un Certain Regard in Urchin by Harris Dickinson) completes the cast in the role of Dr. Mansour, a fictional character who is the right-hand man of President Al-Sissi in the film.