Aarcflick

Tarik Saleh’s biting satire follows a renowned actor who is pressured by the Egyptian government to star in a blockbuster that glorifies the president. At the beginning of *Eagles of the Republic*, the protagonist—George Fahmy (Fares Fares), a (fictional) superstar of the Egyptian film industry so popular and profitable that others bestow upon him (with a hint of mockery) the title of "Pharaoh of the Screen"—overhears an actor, whom he despises for having recently starred in a government-backed propaganda film, say: "I see no contradiction whatsoever between being an artist and being a patriot." That is a thorny proposition that every actor with a certain level of success must confront, for the line between the most vibrant Hollywood-style entertainment and glorifying nationalist propaganda proves to be exceedingly thin. Director: Tarik Saleh Writers: Tarik Saleh, Magdi Abdelhadi Stars: Fares Fares, Lyna Khoudri, Amr Waked But if there is one genuine moral value tha...