Tarik Saleh returns to Cannes with explosive political thriller ‘Eagles of the Republic’

Swedish-Egyptian director Tarik Saleh is back in the Cannes spotlight with Eagles of the Republic, the final chapter of his politically charged trilogy set in Cairo. The film reunites him with long-time collaborator Fares Fares and is competing for the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Following his critically acclaimed The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) and Cairo Conspiracy (2022), Saleh once again turns his lens toward Egypt’s capital—not as a physical place, but as a symbol of psychological and political pressure. “Cairo in Arabic means ‘the conqueror’ and it’s feminine,” he explained. “It’s about bending a man until he breaks.”

Eagles of the Republic tells the story of George Fahmy, a beloved Egyptian actor played by Fares Fares, who is drawn into a government-backed film project. What starts as a reluctant professional commitment spirals into a personal crisis when Fahmy begins an affair with the wife of the powerful general overseeing the production.

Fares Fares, who also starred in Saleh’s previous two films, called the role one of his most emotionally challenging. “We’re making a film about a man losing his soul piece by piece until he becomes an empty shell—and we have to like this guy,” he said. “Otherwise, how can we walk in his shoes?”

Despite being officially banned in Egypt and labeled persona non grata, Saleh managed to cast around 90% Egyptian actors in the film. “I was surprised by how many Egyptian actors wanted to be in the film, knowing it would likely be banned,” he revealed.

The film also features French-Algerian actress Lyna Khoudri and Moroccan actress Zineb Triki, with a haunting score by two-time Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat.

Described as a sharp critique of authoritarianism under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, Eagles of the Republic continues Saleh’s unflinching examination of power, morality, and corruption in the Arab world.

The Cannes Film Festival wraps up on Saturday, May 24, with eyes on whether Saleh’s latest bold narrative will take home top honors.