Fisherman’s son is offered the privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo. He becomes a pawn in the conflict between Egypt’s religious and political elites. A film by Tarik Saleh.

In the year 972, the Fatimid Caliphate founded Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, to serve as a center for Islamic knowledge. The Grand Imam elected by Al-Azhar’s council is the highest authority in Sunni Islam (The largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world’s Muslims). Since the very beginning, they have been fully independent from Egypt’s government. The rulers of Egypt have tried to control Al-Azhar for centuries, but they have never succeeded.

The story follows Adam (Tawfeek Barhom), a fisherman’s son from a small village in Al Manzalah who receives a scholarship from Al-Azhar University. He is hesitant to tell his father believing that his father may not approve. Much to his surprise, his father had already discovered the truth. His father encourages him to pursue academic opportunities.

Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the Grand Imam suddenly dies. The Egyptian government has called an emergency meeting to find a way to ensure that the next Great Imam will be the person whose political beliefs are aligned with the government, and they have chosen Sheikh Omar Beblawi (Jawad Altawil).

Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares) is tasked to rectify the issue by his superior. Ibrahim contacts his informant Zizo (Mehdi Dehbi), a student at Al-Azhar who works as an assistant of blind Sheikh Negm (Makram J. Khoury), one of the most popular imams in Egypt.

The blind Sheikh Negm warns Zizo to stay away until the new Grand Imam is elected, as if he knows that Zizo is an informant. Zizo informs Ibrahim that the majority Al-Azhar’s council has has selected the blind Sheikh as their next Great Imam, and his identify has been exposed. Zizo requests that Ibrahim relieve him of his duty. Ibrahim reluctantly accepts, but he asks Zizo to find him a new “angel”.

Zizo decides to name Adam as his replacement. However, Zizo is brutally murdered by a group of men. Colonel Ibrahim personally investigates the incident at Al-Azhar University. It makes some council members wonder why the State Security is interested in this murder case. Ibrahim recruits Adam and uses his father as a leverage to force Adam to do everything he commands.

A great spy thriller film directed by Swedish filmmaker Tarik Saleh with amazing performances by Tawfeek Barhom and Fares Fares as an informant and spy master in the midst of a political conflict between religious institutions and the government.

Some viewers may find the film’s pacing to be a little slow. However, the plot is compelling enough to keep the audience engaged almost the entire time, despite the fact that every decision Adam makes appears to aggravate the situation, as if he’s tumbling down an infinite rabbit hole. Power is indeed a double-edged sword.

صبي من الجنة (BOY FROM HEAVEN) or CAIRO CONSPIRACY premiered at Festival de Cannes on May 20, 2022. It was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or, but lost to TRIANGLE OF SADNESS. Tarik Saleh was awarded “Prix du scénario” (Best Screenplay), and the film also received “Prix François Chalais” which has been given to films dedicated to the values of journalism since 1996.

It was theatrically released in France as “La conspiration du Caire” on October 26, and it was released in USA on January 1, 2023.