- I do not think I can even describe how nervous I am, says Tarik Saleh to Kulturnyheterna when we meet him in Cannes.
Now, however, the nervousness seems to have subsided.
He laughs and continues.
- The week after the press conference this spring when it was announced that I would be there, I do not know how many mornings I woke up and had dreamed that it was just someone who joked with me: no you should not be competing for the Palme d'Or!
Three Swedish directors
But he will.
Also with two other Swedish directors - Ruben Östlund and Ali Abbasi - and as usual a long line of international superstars such as Claire Denis, David Cronenburg and Hirokazu Kore-eda.
It is the biggest film festival, but also the toughest.
You get crocheted and outraged by the audience if there is something they do not like.
Takes place in Cairo
Tarik Saleh's previous film The Nile Hilton incident - which was a success both at the Sundance Festival and at the Guldbagge Gala 2017 - took place in Cairo and was about power and corruption among police and politicians.
So does the new movie Boy from heaven, with the new ingredient: religion.
The young fisherman's son Adam who is admitted to Al-Azhar University in Cairo, one of the most important institutions in Sunni Islam.
Once there, the school's leader, The grand imam, dies, and Adam is drawn into an intricate power game when a new leader is to be elected.
- On the other side of the street from Al-Azhar is the security police, and it is no coincidence that it is right there, says Tarik Saleh.
The street is like a border between the religious and the political power, says Tarik Saleh and continues:
- When The Grand Imam dies, all officers in the security police gather and their boss makes it clear that it must not be a coincidence who will be the next Grand Imam.
It must be their choice.
Boy from heaven has its world premiere on Friday at the Cannes Film Festival.