Conspiración Divina

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.

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 This movie really superseded my expectations in terms of the cinematography while maintaining a solid loyalty to its great story.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.

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.

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.

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!