### Tarik Saleh and the Eagles of the Republic: a reflection on power and creation
The rise on the international scene of the Swedish director of Egyptian origin, Tarik Saleh, does not only report a cinematographic feat; It also raises fundamental questions about the relationship between art and power. His latest film, *Les Aigles de la République *, presented at the Cannes Festival 2025, explores the complex mysteries of Egyptian society under the regime of Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. Through a black comedy combining fiction and reality, Saleh questions the harmful effects of a system where the army has an overwhelming influence on cultural production.
#### A revealing trilogy
With *the eagles of the Republic *, Saleh closes a trilogy on Egypt which started with *confidential Cairo *in 2017 and continued with *the Cairo conspiracy *in 2022. These works are not content to narrate a story; They reveal the underlying tensions of a company in search of identity. Artistic production, in particular cinema, appears as a distorting mirror of ambitions and struggles of a country, in the grip of power dynamics which often seem inevitable.
#### Army’s control over cinema
The film explicitly addresses the domination of the army over the Egyptian film industry. With more than 80 % of the production funded by the State controlled by military interests, freedom of expression and creation appears to be a fundamental issue. This phenomenon raises crucial questions about the way in which artistic independence can be preserved in an environment where representation in all its forms is subject to diktats.
By reconstructing scenes from Cairo in Türkiye, Saleh demonstrates his determination to illustrate an Egyptian reality to which it is forbidden to access. This choice highlights the fact that art, when subject to power control, often loses its ability to criticize and question the structures in place.
#### The ambivalence of the characters
The main character, George Fahmy, a star of Egyptian cinema, embodies this inner fight between the need for survival in an oppressive system and the aspiration for authenticity. With a performance by actor Fares Fares, the film offers a nuanced portrait of a man torn between his personal ambitions and the bureaucratic requirements of an authoritarian diet. Fahmy’s quote – “we say words that are not ours, we monitor emotions that do not belong to us” – perfectly illustrates the dissonance between artistic creation and the expectations imposed by a system that seeks to control the national story.
This duality is also represented through the presence of secondary characters, such as the friend of Fahmy, who pays from her life the price of her integrity. These tragic figures underline the harsh reality facing those who dare to question the established order.
#### System review
The underlying criticism of * the eagles of the Republic * is not limited simply to denouncing the abuses of power in Egypt; It also encourages to reflect on the mechanisms that allow these abuses to last. While cinema is often considered a form of escape, it is also a space for critical reflection. By exposing the contradictions of the system, Saleh pushes his audience to examine the very nature of creativity and authenticity during periods of repression.
The way in which the twin army its roles of protector and regulator in the cultural sector questions the foundations of governance. What compromises are made to the detriment of individual freedom? How can society react to institutions that undermine cultural diversity in favor of univocal narration?
#### Conclusion: Towards an open dialogue
Tarik Saleh’s work reminds us that cinema can serve as a powerful catalyst for a critical dialogue around the state of Egyptian society. * The eagles of the Republic* is more than a simple entertainment; It is an invitation to reflect on the conditions of creation and the power of the stories that we choose to share. Cinema, in this context, is not only a reflection, but an agent of potential change.
To what extent can cinematographic works influence mentalities and power structures? This is a question that deserves to be asked, both in the Egyptian framework and on the world scene. Could Saleh’s vision open the way to a rebirth of an Egyptian cinematographic scene, more authentic, and more representative of the voices that have long been reduced to silence? The Eagles of the Republic invite us to consider this possibility.