MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

by Veronika Tatar

“The Cairo Conspiracy,” originally titled “Boy from Heaven,” is a 2022 Egyptian thriller directed by the Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh. The film stars Tawfeek Barhom as Adam, a young man from a fishing village who is offered the opportunity to study at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the center of Sunni Islam. The film also stars Fares Fares as Colonel Ibrahim, a powerful figure in the Egyptian government’s state security.

Adam is a bright young man who embraces his opportunity and excels in his studies while remaining devoted to his family back home. Little did he know that his life will be turned upside down not by the big move and the great opportunity to study at the finest institute in Egypt but by a seemingly accidental friendship that puts him in danger. He quickly finds himself in the center of corruption and conflict between Egypt’s religious and political elect.

At the beginning of the movie, when the Great Imam dies, the political elite wants to ensure their power and elect someone who is useful to them and reflects the same ideas as the President of Egypt.

Colonel Ibrahim takes an interest in Adam and begins using him as a tool to further his own agenda. As Adam becomes more involved in the political and religious machinations of the government, we see him struggling with his beliefs and the manipulation that surrounds him. He might be only a fisherman’s son, but he is well aware of the situation, and we see him figuring out what he thinks and wants. This is also part of the tension in the movie.

The director, Tarik Saleh, achieved his purpose in “The Cairo Conspiracy” by creating a complex and nuanced portrayal of the political realities in Egypt. The film explores religion, politics, corruption, and personal responsibility themes. The performance of the cast is also a strength of the film, particularly Tawfeek Barhom as Adam and Fares Fares as Colonel Ibrahim. Both actors give powerful performances that help to bring the characters to life.

However, one weakness of the film is that it can be slow-paced at times, which may not be to everyone’s taste. Additionally, the film’s complex themes and political hints may be challenging for some viewers to grasp fully.

The film might be slow-paced at times, but overall, to me, it seemed deliberate and thoughtful, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the story and characters fully. I think the people in the theater agreed with me as we were watching the film in complete silence. This is not something you experience every day.

The film’s visuals are also beautiful. Even though the movie is set in Cairo, it was filmed in Istanbul, Turkey, mostly in the Süleymanye mosque, as Sakeh is banned from Egypt. Beautiful setting. Saleh stresses that the story is fully fictional; he adds that he was inspired to make a movie about Al-Azhar as his grandfather attended the institution.

Overall, “The Cairo Conspiracy” is a powerful and thought-provoking film that portrays the power in Egypt. The movie closes with the sentiment, “The power is a double-edged sword. I can easily cut your own hand.” Saleh believes he has a responsibility to tell these kinds of stories. The movie was nominated and won best screenplay at Cannes Film Festival in 2022, which is not surprising to me. “The Cairo Conspiracy” is a must-see film for anyone interested in Egyptian politics, religion, and society.