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If you are not Muslim, chances are you never heard about Al Azhar, which is a university teaching the Islam Sciences since 970 in Cairo, Egypt. They are the ones electing the Great Imam, and have been fully independent from the government since the very beginning. Governments have tried to get into it for centuries, to no avail. The movie starts with the Great Imam dying, and the government's attempt to choose who will be the next one, preferably on the government's side. You follow Adam, a young man who just arrived from his small village to learn about Islam. He gets involved in a situation that gets worse with every decision he makes, but he somehow still continues to learn about Islam between his investigations, prayers, and lack of sleep. He seems like a very pious guy, not understanding what he is getting himself into, and looks lost most of the time. The movie is a bit slow however, and could have used a bit more rhythm or maybe just to be shorter.

If there are certain films that we consume and extract everything they want to tell us at the moment it ends, there are others that have much to explore and understand between the lines. Cairo Conspiracy - previously called Boy From Heaven, a much more suitable title - is a political and religious thriller with some very clear messages but also a lot to read and extrapolate.

The story is simple and seemingly contained. It tells us about a boy, Adam (Tawfeek Barhom), who receives a letter that will change his life: he has been accepted at the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. As soon as he arrives, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar dies suddenly, and a power struggle to replace him begins. For someone with little knowledge of the culture in question and what this position actually represents - believe me, this is much more than a mere college dean in the US - it may seem strange why this is such a coveted place. Why do some people kill? Why do some people give their lives? I confess that when the film ended, I researched the topic a bit more, however, the film does a good job of showing us the importance of what we are talking about here, involving various religious fabrics - more or less dangerous - and the government itself. And where does Adam fit in? Well, Adam, who until then was little more than "the fisherman's son," finds himself involuntarily involved in the centre of these intrigues, conspiracies, and dangerous games.

Tawfeek Barhom - whom I did not know before - has a powerful interpretation as Adam. A young man who still needs to get to know himself but has little time to look at himself. He doesn't always do the right thing. He doesn't always know what to do. He doesn't always find it easy to express what he feels. He is a confused teenager, like any teenager, but he cannot afford to remain in that state for too long. He is forced to become a man. Right now.

Man. If there's one thing that this movie doesn't lack, it's men. It's almost impossible to see a woman in this toxic and patriarchal world. When any attention is given to a woman, it's to expose the way she's treated by society and the more powerful. It's to show us that she should remain without opinion, without identity, submissive and obedient to what life - men - enable her to do. I may be using a lot of words on something that isn't the central theme of this film, but I feel that Tarik Saleh's choice is intentional. Even when he shows us certain family environments of characters who should be dear to us, the writer and filmmaker gives us clues about what he thinks about the concept of family and how genders have well-defined roles within society.

Through this, we can also extract much of what this film wants to say about its central themes. We're talking about a society that merges with its religiosity. Everyone's roles converge with Islam, whether we're talking about a more radical or more open side of it. And when they diverge in the customs and teachings passed down by the written and spoken word, it invariably serves to expose all the hypocrisy of a system that only survives because it enables a few to dominate and control everything and everyone. When Saleh shows us daily hygienic rituals specific to religion, he shows us people cleaning themselves of all their sins, all their anxieties, and all their filth. The filth that leaves marks on the outside and the filth that leaves marks on the inside. And, no matter how much goodwill and people want to do better, there are always stronger forces that could take them down undesired paths, paths that don't represent what that - or any other - religion stands for on paper.

When it comes to power dynamics, Cairo Conspiracy is fascinating. It is so when it demonstrates the calculated relationships of those who know a lot about this life. It is even more fascinating when, gradually, it reveals who are, in fact, the main players of this game and who are their pawns. There are pawns for all tastes. This is particularly visible in the figure of the investigator we follow more closely - Ibrahim, very well portrayed, full of nuances by the already well-known Fares Fares - who has his own pawns and is also a pawn of someone else.

There are also other major pawns. Those who should not even be there. I'm talking about the students of that University who, on one side or the other of the board, have been used in power and backstage wars, being manipulated for personal purposes. This is also a way of keeping society the way it is, indoctrinating - grooming is the right word - from an early age, reaching those most susceptible and feeding the system itself.

Cairo Conspiracy may seem, at times, a cold film. It is a film with no completely right sides or characters doing what we are used to see in Hollywood heroes. But do not be fooled. When it criticizes the functioning of a society, it is not pushing us away from its people. It acknowledges the cynicism but also believes in individuals and the impact that small choices can have. It is not asking for war. It is shouting for help. It is shouting for change. The change of men.

I like it when films shake the foundations of real life supremacy, this film is one of them. The subject matter is a hot topic and a very controversial one, which is why Tarik Saleh, the filmmaker, is persona non grata in Egypt, and the film was shot in Turkey although it is meant to portray the Azhar Mosque.

This is the story of Adam, the son of a fisherman who gets a letter of approval from the Azhar mosque to join their ranks, coincidentally the Imam. Trouble is brewing in the heels of appointing the next Imam!

This is a well made film with a well-made screenplay and memorable performances from the lead actor.

This movie is a picture of the state's entanglement in religious strata. For sure it isn't present only in ranks of Islam, but also in the other religions and media usually shows the other picture to the masses, but hide the truth. Here we see the fanatical corners of Islam and how an innocent person, in thoughts that he is giving a help and support for a good matter, falls too deep into something about which he has no idea, cause he learned something else. However, you can see a good filmmaking with all those obstacles and traps one thriller should have followed with amazing cast, where the actor(Barhom) of the main protagonist gives us a big enigma at the end.

Young fisherman "Adam" (Tawfeek Barhom) receives a letter that is going to change his life. He has been accepted into the prestigious Al-Azhar University and after an emotional farewell with his family he sets off to the hubbub of Cairo. Simultaneously, the Grand Imam dies. This is a very important event for the Sunni community, but it is also an highly significant one for the government too. The President makes it known through his National Security agency whom he wants to succeed to the role. To ensure that the election delivers the required outcome, the rather dishevelled looking "Col. Ibrahim" (Fares Fares) is drafted in. Now he already has an "angel" working for him at the school, but when "Zizo" (Mehdi Dehbi) is found slaughtered in the forecourt, the Colonel must find a new informant - and he alights on the young and impressionable "Adam" - using an intriguingly effective carrot and stick combination of threats and promises. The rest of the film follows the rather perilous path the young scholar must take if he is to facilitate his puppet-master whilst protecting his family from their revenge should he fail - and staying safe from his colleagues who have their own form of sedition on their minds. What we have here is quite a plausible and at times effectively menacing look at just how easily the organs of the state can manipulate, or cause to be manipulated, the most public and seemingly inscrutable of processes. Indeed, after a short while there is a rather depressing inevitability to the whole election procedure! The actual story is not the best. There are a few things that remain unexplained - much of the activities of the honourable "Blind Sheikh" (Makram Khoury), for example, are largely undercooked; and there are one or two scenarios that end just too briefly and conveniently. At one stage I thought it was heading for a really tough and brutal ending - and that would have worked better for me than the one we are offered - but see what you think about that. This is a well written, paced and dark political drama that challenges the status quo and leaves a rather bitter taste in the mouth. The two leading actors are on good form and the film is certainly thought-provoking. The location architecture is glorious too!

This movie has shaken Egypt to its very core, it has been deemed so provocative that it is BANNED. The director is Egyptian, the move is set in Cairo (yet filmed funnily enough in Istanbul because of the ban). It has yeilded award in the Cannes film festival, and it is simply put SUPERB.

The camera is well used, the atmosphere build up is immensely satisfying. And it ultimately proves the old saying "Man will be free when the last King has been strangled with the last priests entrials"- This is a CULT movie in the making. Unfortunately you will never see this film in Egypt.

Boy from Heaven is not an easy watch but it is unusual, inspiring and fascinating in its portrayal of a world unknown to most non-Muslims. It creates an atmosphere both sacred and threatening and the main character, in his tortured vulnerability and innate purity, is a compelling watch. It was by far my favourite movie at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Every scene is rivetting as the plot becomes more and more dangerous for our young hero: life here is cheap and political influence all important. The film is a visual delight and the cinematography excellent. Above all, it is full of pauses and silence, reflective silence, giving the viewer time to catch their breath in the midst of the brutal reality of life at the spiritual university. This is truly a great movie!

Most of the film, set predominantly in Istanbul's Süleymanye mosque, artfully substitutes for Cairo. Saleh weaves a complex narrative, drawing inspiration from his personal experience with censorship after The Nile Hilton Incident (2017). Cairo Conspiracy offers a profound glimpse into contemporary Egypt, encompassing its vibrant cultural traditions and turbulent political climate. It captivated audiences at its premiere in Cannes in 2022, garnering exceptional acclaim and securing Sweden's official Best International Feature Film submission.

Addressing themes of faith, betrayal, and power struggles within Egyptian society through the eyes of an innocent protagonist, this film provides substantial material for those seeking thought-provoking content. Cairo Conspiracy delivers a captivating storyline complemented by outstanding performances, catering to viewers' interests in Egypt's current affairs or broader issues across the Middle East.

While not without imperfections, its ability to tackle significant themes renders it a valuable contribution to the realm of cinema.

Why the name change?

Anyway, the experience was absolutely beautiful. Seeing this at the premiere in Sweden where the director/writer Tarik Saleh could further explain his personal motivations and ideas around the story just made it so much special and as a Swede, I'm happy to see the culture of my Arabic neighbours being represented in such a masterfully crafted way. I could get the vibe of how a western film tells a story but also delve deep into a trance-like state for what family, tradition, symbolisism and religious perspectives and experiences are like.

The genre is of the captivated and serious kind, but also of the holy, which suits its original film title. Great casting, cinematography, pacing and story. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

I hope to see a lot more cultural representation from the middle east and collaborations in Sweden in the future. This might just be a really good taste of what's to come.

When the elderly Grand Imam of Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar University passes away suddenly, a scramble ensues over the appointment of his replacement, one that involves the maneuverings of various vested interests from religious fundamentalists to political pragmatists to devoutly spiritual purists. But who will ultimately take over? That depends on the efforts of a young new student who becomes caught up in this power struggle, the pious son of a fisherman who's unwittingly recruited as a state security informant to infiltrate a group of academic ideological extremists. This slowburn thriller (sometimes a little too slow for its own good, especially in the middle) draws on this scenario to examine the diverse dynamics of Egyptian politics and religion, especially the often-tenuous relationship between the two, as played out through the internal (though publicly high-profile) workings of this long-established, well-respected educational institution. Writer-director Tarek Saleh's latest is a finely acted, capably made production (a noteworthy accomplishment given that the controversial filmmaker's work had to be shot outside of Egypt), though it occasionally lacks the gripping tension needed to give the picture's narrative the kind of dramatic heft that an offering like this requires, especially considering the high stakes involved in this story. While this Cannes Film Festival award winner for best screenplay is a work of fiction and said to poignantly reflect the prevailing conditions found in these institutions, the script, pacing and overall tone could have stood to be less subtle and more pointedly compelling. Indeed, "Cairo Conspiracy" is a suitably attention-holding watch with a solid underlying premise, but it would have been better if it had been a little less conventional and wielded a more pronounced edge.

Tarik Saleh put his hand on a timeless aspect of Egyptian politics: the power interplay between the political leaders (the military) and the religious figures (Al Azhar). Never has this sensitive issue been addressed before. Which is ironically the very reason why this movie fails.

The reason why this issue was not addressed by Egyptian cinema (or "Hollywood-sur-Nil" as some used to call it back in its glamorous days) is simple: censorship. Egyptian moviemakers and actors would not be allowed to talk about this taboo. Indeed, this movie will not be played in Egyptian cinemas.

The direct consequence is that only foreign moviemakers can get away with making a movie that tackles this sensitive issue. And this is where things go wrong.

The movie - understandably - fails to capture any Egyptian essence. Dialogues are unnatural. Characters and attitudes are artificial. Add to this the fact that the cast is virtually Egyptian-free (for the reasons described above). They are therefore incapable of smoothing the dialogues into something that feels more natural.

While Tarik Saleh is from Egyptian descent, it is obvious from this movie that his relation to Egypt is, alas, too tenuous to make a movie that delves so deep into Egyptian social, political and religious realities.

Nevertheless, I am aware that my issue with this movie will only be shared by the Egyptian public. Therefore, to the extent that Tarik Saleh considers Boy from Heaven to be a a picture about Egypt by foreign filmmakers to foreign viewers, I would cut him some slack.

Still, the movie is riddled with espionnage clichés. Whichever you can think of, you will find in Boy from Heaven. Egyptian classical music is played at unlikely places. Scene transitions are often abrupt, evidencing issues with the montage.

More than once, the movie did feel like an average film school student's graduation project.

Ive wanted to see this one for some time. It got really great feedback in Sweden and France, so i got exited to finally had the chance to see it.

The first thing you will notice directly. Cinematography is some of the best ive seen. Very well made and outstandingly beautiful! Filming and the editing is fantastic!

It really gives a great insight into the religious aspects, the world of the characters and the country, where the film takes place.

Great and beautiful soundtrack!!

Fares Fares and Tawfeek Barhom truly does fantastic performances!

A very good and very well made thriller! Very well put together! It's extremely well directed!

I really recommend this great film!

Fresh from a viewing of "The Nile Hilton incident", watching "Boy from heaven" consolidates the prowess of Tarek Saleh as a filmmaker: a robust and sensational story coupled with a minimalistic yet ever developing sense of flashy cinematography. This review is probably going to end up being a comparison between Saleh's newest film and his previous, so let's get the latter out of the way: "The Nile-Hilton incident" is a thriller crime film deeply rooted in the depiction of an Egyptian society that is on the brink of an Arab spring revolution. The story follows Fares Fares' character, a deeply corrupt cop who is assigned an investigation into a shady hotel murder that turns his life upside down. There are undoubtedly two things that should be said about this film: firstly, the story is pretty good! It is used as an apparatus to unravel the complexities of an Egyptian society in spiral, laden by crime, poverty and police corruption. However, a second point must be raised: the film lacks the kind of artistic and technical passages that tickle the imposter snob in me. It is very plainly shot and that can be said about hundreds of great films, but fortunately not about "Boy from heaven".

I never thought a red turban could have ever been this beautiful. This movie really superseded my expectations in terms of the cinematography while maintaining a solid loyalty to its great story. The film follows a young and candid young man who is chosen to enrol in the Azhar institute: an Islamic studies school that is regarded as a beacon of Islamic sciences in the middle east if not the world. But it is soon understood that this highly coveted institute hides behind it may dark secrets and political conflicts that rival in ruthlessness those inside the Egyptian quasi dictator regime. And Tawfeek Barhom's character finds himself in the middle of this highly volatile and dangerous battle between religion and state.

In this film, Tarek Saleh worked the religious imagery and the beauty of the spiritual ritual in a way that reminded me of Paolo Sorrentino's "The Young Pope": they both depicted in high detail the serenity of the religious system as well as its terrifying rigour. And Saleh got a few great shots of some red hats! Tarek Saleh has caught the eye of the international cinema community for quite a while, but now has cemented himself as one of the best directors in Egyptian cinema.

This movie totally surprised me of how good it was. I had virtually no expectations for the movie. I didn't read any reviews or haven't seen any trailers about the movie. I actually went to see it because the title sounded interesting and other movies about Muslim world recently has been really good. Such as Holy Spider and Ballad of a White Cow. I'm really happy I went to see this because it was actually all I wanted from a movie. Captivating and holds from beginning to the end so that you don't think anything else. You just want to see what's going to happen next.

I really don't know how much the movie reflects reality in Egypt. And doesn't even matter. I learned something new about Muslim world and the movie was super interesting to follow.

Boy From Heaven is a watchable, exciting film where the action is set in Egypt and at the religious Al-Azhar University. The main character Adam, brilliantly played by Tawfeek Barhom gets a place at this university. He gives up his life as a fisherman and starts his studies. The film then takes a very surprising turn, becoming a suspense film, a thriller in an environment that is rarely depicted on film. Swedish Fares Fares has the other lead role, and together with Barhom they give life to the main characters in the film.

At a time when mainstream film is almost everything that gets a mention and that "everyone" must see, it is liberating to see such a film of this quality.

I would like to see more of Fares Fares and Tawfeek Barhom, and director Tarik Saleh has already shown that he can make quality films, both dramas and now thrillers.

Give this and other films that aren't necessarily on everyone's lips a chance. They give us diversity and very good entertainment.

Tarik Saleh is an Egyptian-born filmmaker living in Sweden. His career is divided between Sweden, Hollywood and productions about Egypt. The latter are made outside the country, including 'Cairo Conspiracy' in which the story takes place in a Cairo whose role is played by Istanbul. The reason is obviously his critical attitude towards the political regime and in this case the religious institutions of his country of origin. His most recent film (2022) was distributed internationally with the title 'Cairo Conspiracy', after the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival (where he won the award for best screenplay) had the title 'Boy from Heaven' which is also the translation of the original title in Arabic. The film gives us an incisive insight into a world that most of us know little or nothing about - the world of Islamic religious educational institutions. He does it using the political thriller genre in a closed social and physical space dominated by religion - not very different from what Umberto Eco did in 'The Name of the Rose' - the book and the excellent film based on the book.

Adam, the hero of the film, is a teenager from a fishermen village, who receives a scholarship to the most famous university in the world of Sunni Islam - Al-Azhar University in Cairo. In the institution established at the end of the first millennium, 2-3 centuries before the first European universities, only religion is taught. Discipline is strict, students pray, listen to sermons, read the Koran and its permitted interpretations, and the most interesting moments are the reading contests from the holy books. Any rigid system ignites its own rebellions - small or large - and Adam will quickly learn, with the help of a colleague he befriends, how to get out of the university at night through a gate in the walls or how to enjoy activities of relaxation at the edge or beyond the limits of the permissibility of that world such as smoking or dancing. He will also discover that life in the university, far from being idyllic, is marked by conflicts between the various religious currents, by the confrontation with the political power and its infiltrated agents. The university's imam dies suddenly, triggering a process of choosing a new imam that is in many ways similar to that of choosing a new pope. The political power is interested in imposing a favorable candidate, because "in Egypt there shall not be two pharaohs", while militant Islamist circles also want to control the prestigious university. Young Adam will go through an accelerated process of coming to age and will become involved in the political-religious intrigues at the cost of losing his innocence and at the risk of jeopardizing his dream career (as a religious scholar and preacher) and even his life.

The film asks difficult questions related to the role of religion in a modern state, the balance of power and the links between political power and educational and religious institutions, individual influence in a crowded society dominated by conflicting dogmas. Not all questions are answered and not all aspects of a complex political situation are brought to light to the same extent. And yet, the film has the merit of introducing viewers to a world that most have had no access to and bravely bringing up the issues of a corrupt and violent society. 'Cairo Conspiracy' will also satisfy fans of political thrillers. The action is well laid out, with many twists and turns and characters whose destinies seem to be constantly in jeopardy. The lead actor is Tawfeek Barhom, a formidable actor I don't know much about. In the role of the police inspector and manipulator of informants is distributed another excellent actor, somewhat better known - Fares Fares. The cast in general is excellently constructed and each of the characters has color and consistency. 'Cairo Conspiracy' is a film that cannot but arouse contradictions and debates. That's what movies like this are made for.

Everybody has their own beliefs. Mines, to put them simple, are, one, I've been presented zero evidence of god, therefore I don't believe in any; and two, religions, all of them, are man-made. More on the latter: they are also, positively, instruments of control. Small groups of humans trying and succeeding in controlling larger groups.

From all of them, Islam is the most combative. The most dangerous. And for some reason, here in Europe, Swedish are amongst the few people that have the guts to open real conversations, call it out, speak the truth, make some questions. So watching this, which is also a very decent piece of Noir cinema without stopping being convincing, and also well played, was a real pleasure.

Incredible movie, even though it's set in Egypt in the context of the most esteemed Islamic university in the world, the themes are globally relevant.

It gives an experience of the potential corruption of religious groups by government & ulterior interests in order to influence the population. It gives an insight in to the motivations from multiple sides of the struggle for power & holds a mirror up to the human condiiton.

There's also themes of ethical choices, family, sacrifice, exploitation, hope & human nature. Great acting, suspenseful & visually intimate. Is religion the illegal arm of the government? Can you structure a centralised institution in a way that it won't be corrupted? What are the aims of the government, the religous organisation & the individual?

A bold, daring, thought provoking philosophical film.

The movie is representative of ISIS and Muslim Brotherhood. There is no single Egyptian actor in the movie, which is promoting fanaticism whilst inferring Islamic radicalism is a consequence of Egyptian regime. Europe has suffered from Radical Islam yet they allow funding, viewing and support of this rubbish. The movie is depressive primarily to ensure the watcher sympathises with the ISIS and Muslim brotherhood. The blind Sheikh was shown as a great leader, honest and representative of Islam, while he is actually a representation of terrorism and repression. By all means feel free to watch this movie, but please ensure you THINK about what you are seeing and maybe you'll see YOU are the victim being manipulated.

I understand the basic idea of the plot came from The Name Of The Rose. But the location was moved to a splendid mosque in Cairo, and instead of even being filmed in a splendid mosque in Cairo, the movie was filmed in a splendid mosque in Istanbul. There's a saying in musical theater that after the play, nobody ever walked out the door humming the scenery. But you could enjoy this film just for the views inside the mosque. The architecture is stunning and the cameraman seems never unable to find a fresh shot in there. The acting, like the architecture, is on something of a grand scale. Most or all of the actors are no more Cairene than the mosque is; in fact, three of them are among the most highly regarded Arab actors of Israel.

The political message of the movie-- and it's no wonder the Egyptian government gave no support and no approval-- is that President Sisi has no respect for the separation of religion and state and is unfairly suppressing the Muslim Brotherhood. That may not be a message that will necessarily win the hearts of Westerners, but it's presented in a context full of personal power relationships and tense situations and dilemmas of loyalty that could appeal to any audience willing to leave politics aside.

After the excellent film THE NILE HILTON AFFAIR (2017), Swedish director Tarik SALEH and his fellow actor Fares FARES (as always: fantastic!) return to Cairo.

The era of the Arab Spring is over, the Muslim Brotherhood has been put in their place by the military. In this mixed situation, the audience gets to know a talented fisherman's son (Tawfeek BARHOM), who gets a place at al-Azhar University in Cairo. The head of this renowned university is also the religious leader of Sunni Islam. Then two things happen: the leader dies unexpectedly, and the fisherman's son is recruited as the new "angel" by a secret service man (Fares FARES). A murderous game of intrigue then begins between the President's political camp and the Muslim Brotherhood as to who will now be allowed to fill the vacant position at the top of the university. The fisherman's son sits between all stools, but proves himself and makes his own stubborn decisions...

A strange world, a complicated political-religious situation! Of course, only a few scenes could be filmed in Cairo. The university scenes were filmed at the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul. Tarik SALEH was rightly awarded the Silver Palm at the Cannes Film Festival.

Definitely worth seeing!

I recently watched the political thriller film "Cairo Conspiracy," also known as "Ahkami, Amniati, Tavayol Gahre." This cinematic piece offers a unique perspective as it delves into the intricate dynamics of politics and religion, specifically focusing on the efforts of the Egyptian security organization to control the oldest Sunni religious institution.

The plot revolves around the Egyptian security organization's elaborate scheme to dominate Al-Azhar, employing espionage tactics on scholars and implementing fundamental changes within this venerable religious institution. The film raises thought-provoking questions about the intersection of power, politics, and faith, portraying the struggles within the Sunni religious organization.

As the narrative unfolds, it becomes apparent that the film may serve as a prelude for a potential sequel, hinting at a myriad of challenges awaiting the characters in the next chapter of their journey.

Director Tarek Saleh skillfully captures the lives of the students and professors at Al-Azhar, providing a nuanced portrayal of the genuine religious scholars and the opportunistic religious pretenders. The film, aired on the French network Arte in 2022, offers a rich tapestry of characters and a compelling exploration of the clash between true believers and those who exploit religion for personal gain.