Sweden Chooses 'Eagles of the Republic' for Oscars

The Swedish submission for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars is Tarik Saleh's political suspense drama "Eagles of the Republic."

The movie, which concludes Saleh's "Cairo Trilogy," follows the previous works "The Nile Hilton Incident," which won at Sundance, and "Cairo Conspiracy," honored at Cannes. It stars Fares Fares as Egypt's top actor, George Fahmy, who hesitantly takes part in a government-sponsored documentary about his life—only to become entangled in political schemes, such as a secret relationship with a general’s spouse.

"The Eagles of the Republic" is directed by Linus Stöhr Torell (Unlimited Stories), Linda Mutawi, and Johan Lindström (Apparaten), along with Alexandre Mallet-Guy (Memento Production). The initiative is jointly developed by SVT, Film i Väst, and additional partners, supported in part by the Swedish Film Institute.

The movie made its global debut in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival. It is scheduled to be shown next at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Saleh stated, "It is an honor for us to have been chosen to represent Sweden during what has been a remarkable year for Swedish cinema. Although our path has just begun, it will be particularly enjoyable to showcase the movie in Toronto following this acknowledgment."

In an interview with At the Cannes Film Festival, Saleh stated: "What does 'politics' mean? It refers to the interaction between authority and individuals. Therefore, when someone calls a movie 'political,' it could imply that it carries a specific message, aiming to persuade viewers to adopt a particular perspective or interpretation of reality. My movies focus on humans who face pressures from systemic powers. While I am deeply intrigued by how power operates, I approach it more as an observer rather than someone actively involved. Although I’m not an advocate for causes, I find those in positions of influence extremely intriguing." . I personally know individuals who are employed in the Egyptian presidency. This is how I obtain much of my information.

The list of international features nominated for an Academy Award will be revealed on December 16, with the final five contenders being named on January 22.