Cairo Conspiracy

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.

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.

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.

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!