Love Tribute Concludes Saleh's Cairo Trilogy

In an industrial premises in Gothenburg, Fares Fares is sitting and driving a car along Cairo's streets. That he would play the lead role in "Eagles of the Republic" was crucial for the director Tarik Saleh.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: July 12 2024

Love Tribute Concludes Saleh's Cairo Trilogy
Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall/TT

In an industrial premises in Gothenburg, Fares Fares is sitting and driving a car along Cairo's streets. That he would play the lead role in "Eagles of the Republic" was crucial for director Tarik Saleh.

Fares Fares holds a sandwich in his right hand, taking small bites. Enjoying.

For "Eagles of the Republic", Tarik Saleh's concluding part of the Cairo trilogy, Fares Fares has been on a strict diet. Filming began in mid-May in Istanbul and now only filming in Gothenburg remains. The film's premiere is planned for autumn 2025.

Director Tarik Saleh meets Fares' gaze and smiles. With only two filming days left, he allows his lead actor to enjoy the moment.

After the successes with "The Nile Hilton Incident" and "Boy from Heaven", the trilogy concludes with "Eagles of the Republic", where Egypt's most beloved actor George Fahmy (Fares Fares) is pressured to play the lead role in a film commissioned by the authorities.

But Fares Fares' role in the trilogy is greater than that. His participation is entirely crucial, according to Tarik Saleh, who describes how the collaboration is based on agreements.

We make the film together. Then we create the character and relationships together, develops Fares Fares.

The Authentic Feeling

To achieve an authentic feeling, everyone needs to be on board. Tarik Saleh compares it to childhood role-playing.

If someone says "we're just playing", they're immediately cancelled because they haven't understood that it's for real, he says.

The films could not be shot in Cairo. The production of the first film was already stopped, and the production had to leave Egypt, a country to which Tarik Saleh has a strong connection. Instead, the environments from Cairo's streets are recreated on screens around the Jaguar with George Fahmy (Fares Fares) behind the wheel.

Just getting to see the streets, to experience them, it becomes very real, he says.

In another scene, he's on his way home while one of the team members presses the bumper so the car follows the road.

Tarik Saleh fixes his gaze on one of the screens. He follows the camera movement.

And cut. Nice, that was good, wonderful, he says smiling and approaches some of the film's international team, which consists of over 160 people in total.

Love for the Cinema

Tarik Saleh describes the film as a tribute to the Egyptian film industry, a love declaration to the cinema. The "What if..." of change is something he wants to believe in.

It's clear that it's a dream for me, that these films in another version of Egypt will be shown in a cinema there. It would be completely magical, especially the film we're making now.

"The Nile Hilton Incident" is the first film in Tarik Saleh's trilogy and is about a corrupt police officer in Cairo, played by Fares Fares.

The second film, "Boy from Heaven", won the prize for best screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, and is a political thriller set in a university environment.

Behind the work on the third film "Eagles of the Republic" is a large international team of 162 people from countries such as Sweden, France, Egypt, Turkey, and Denmark.

The film has a large international cast with 65 roles from many different countries, such as France, Egypt, and Syria.

The main filming took place in Istanbul from mid-May. The last three days of filming in July are in Gothenburg.

"Eagles of the Republic" is a Swedish, French, Danish, Finnish, and German co-production.

The film has a budget of approximately 106 million Swedish kronor.

Source: SF Studios

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

The Traitors Wins Program of
1 MIN READ

The Traitors Wins Program of the Year at Sweden's Riagalan Awards

Swedish Authors Call on Culture
1 MIN READ

Swedish Authors Call on Culture Minister to Address Meta's AI Use

Uppsala Pavilion Wins Prestigious Kasper
1 MIN READ

Uppsala Pavilion Wins Prestigious Kasper Salin Architecture Prize

Muse Delays Istanbul Concert to
1 MIN READ

Muse Delays Istanbul Concert to 2026 Over Organizer Concerns

Sabrina Carpenter Shines in Sold-Out
2 MIN READ

Sabrina Carpenter Shines in Sold-Out Stockholm Shows

Michel Houellebecq Debuts Concert at
1 MIN READ

Michel Houellebecq Debuts Concert at Danish Literature Festival

Bruce Springsteen Unveils Seven Lost
1 MIN READ

Bruce Springsteen Unveils Seven Lost Albums in New Box Set

Royal Library to Create National
1 MIN READ

Royal Library to Create National Digital Book Lending Standard

Drake Gains Access to Key
1 MIN READ

Drake Gains Access to Key Documents in Kendrick Lamar Legal Battle

Italian Director Nanni Moretti Stable
1 MIN READ

Italian Director Nanni Moretti Stable After Heart Attack in Rome

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Lena From Appointed Permanent Secretary at Academy of Fine Arts

Ralph Fiennes Steps into Opera
1 MIN READ

Ralph Fiennes Steps into Opera Directing with Eugene Onegin in Paris

Christina Nilsson Shines as Aida
1 MIN READ

Christina Nilsson Shines as Aida at Birgit Nilsson Days in Båstad

Hilma af Klint Foundation Board
1 MIN READ

Hilma af Klint Foundation Board Stays Intact Pending Court Decision

Love is Blind Reunion: Swedish
2 MIN READ

Love is Blind Reunion: Swedish Couples Share Joyful Updates

Incurably Ill Woman's Journey to
3 MIN READ

Incurably Ill Woman's Journey to Fulfill Her Desires Becomes TV Series

Swedish Radio Journalist Åke Pettersson
1 MIN READ

Swedish Radio Journalist Åke Pettersson Passes Away at 77

Swedish House Mafia Joins Denniz
1 MIN READ

Swedish House Mafia Joins Denniz Pop Awards Jury

Medea's Children Returns to Stockholm
1 MIN READ

Medea's Children Returns to Stockholm Stage 50 Years Later

Swedish Violinist Johan Dalene Awarded
1 MIN READ

Swedish Violinist Johan Dalene Awarded Alfvén Society Scholarship

Genre image
1 MIN READ

60s Hitmaker Johnny Tillotson Dies at 84

Culture Minister Unfamiliar with Noted
1 MIN READ

Culture Minister Unfamiliar with Noted Directors Nolan and Widerberg

Swedish Artist Lap-See Lam Wins
1 MIN READ

Swedish Artist Lap-See Lam Wins Prestigious Norwegian Art Prize

Dick Bengtsson's Art Challenges Perceptions
3 MIN READ

Dick Bengtsson's Art Challenges Perceptions at Stockholm Exhibit

Hollywood Remembers Val Kilmer: Tributes
2 MIN READ

Hollywood Remembers Val Kilmer: Tributes Pour in for the Iconic Actor

Tarantino's Hollywood Sequel May Land
1 MIN READ

Tarantino's Hollywood Sequel May Land on Netflix with Fincher Directing

New Films and Series: Minecraft
3 MIN READ

New Films and Series: Minecraft Movie Debuts and More This Week

Susanne Yakes Could Be Chosen
2 MIN READ

Susanne Yakes Could Be Chosen as Listeners' Summer Host on P1

Munich 1972: How Live TV
3 MIN READ

Munich 1972: How Live TV Coverage Changed Journalism Forever

Val Kilmer, Iconic Actor from
2 MIN READ

Val Kilmer, Iconic Actor from Top Gun and Batman, Dies at 65

The Hives Announce New Album
1 MIN READ

The Hives Announce New Album and European Tour Starting October

Meg Westergren Honored with 2023
1 MIN READ

Meg Westergren Honored with 2023 Fatima Prize by Karl Gerhard Society

Authors Demand UK Action on
1 MIN READ

Authors Demand UK Action on Meta Over Alleged Book Copyright Breach

Ane Brun Cancels Istanbul Concert
1 MIN READ

Ane Brun Cancels Istanbul Concert Following Protest Backlash

Marion Brunet Wins Alma Prize
4 MIN READ

Marion Brunet Wins Alma Prize for Young Adult Literature

Oliver Stone to Testify in
1 MIN READ

Oliver Stone to Testify in Congress on New JFK Documents

Maria Montazami and Samir Badran
1 MIN READ

Maria Montazami and Samir Badran Join The Traitors on TV4

Masked Singer Tops TV Ratings
1 MIN READ

Masked Singer Tops TV Ratings with 1.5 Million Viewers

New Beatles Biopics Cast Revealed:
1 MIN READ

New Beatles Biopics Cast Revealed: Mescal, Quinn, Keoghan, Dickinson

World's Largest Children's Book Prize
3 MIN READ

World's Largest Children's Book Prize Set for 1 PM Announcement