Tarik Saleh - 2022 - Sweden/France/Finland/Denmark - M (violence)

Drama/Mystery &Thriller, 2h 6m

Spy thriller and coming-of-age narrative deftly combine in this sinuous, Cairo-set exploration of political and religious corruption by Tarik Saleh, who received Best Screenplay at Cannes 2022.

“When Adam, the humble son of a fisherman, is awarded a state sponsorship to study at the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicentre of power of Sunni Islam, he imagines his life set on a path of learning. However, his apprenticeship will be of an entirely different nature as he becomes entangled in the institution’s back-door dealings and shady manoeuvrings. Will he be a pawn, victim, or kingmaker?”
– Sandra Reid, Whanau Marama NZIFF 2022