Tarik Saleh On His Cannes-Winning ‘Cairo Conspiracy’, Unrequited Love For Egypt & Being Inspired By John Le Carré – Contenders International
deadline.comWriter-director Tarik Saleh’s latest film Cairo Conspiracy follows Adam, the son of a fisherman, who is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power in Sunni Islam.
Shortly after his arrival, the university’s highest religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elite.
The film, originally known as Boy From Heaven, made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year where Saleh won the Best Screenplay prize.
Inspired by John le Carré – “I’ve read all of his books twice” – Saleh said during a panel discussion at Deadline’s Contenders Film: International that he was not interested in making a statement about Islam in his political thriller. “To have an opinion about Islam is to have an opinion about Christianity or Judaism,” he said. “It’s world religion.
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