Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, this smart and sexy thriller blends police procedure and political commentary to create a noir for our times. In Cairo, weeks before the 2011 revolution, rising young police detective Noredin is working at the infamous Kasr el-Nil police station when he is assigned to investigate a suspicious death at the Nile Hilton Hotel in downtown Tahrir Square. A beautiful singer has been murdered in what may be a professional hit; the sole witness is an undocumented Sudanese maid, now on the run.

Noredin is no stranger to the corruption that plagues his department—he is, after all, the nephew of the district police chief. Nevertheless, he finds himself compelled to pursue the investigation, especially once it begins to lead in the direction of a wealthy real-estate developer and member of parliament who also happens to be a personal friend of former president Hosni Mubarak. His inquiries take him from the grimy back streets of the immigrant slums to the sumptuous villas of the power elite, and set him on a collision course with those who would rather not see justice prevail.

The film is inspired by the 2008 hotel murder of a Lebanese pop star by an Egyptian businessman and politician, an event which shook the nation. Directed by Tarik Saleh (Sweden, 2017).

About the Director

Of Egyptian descent, Tarik Saleh is a Swedish television producer, animator, journalist, and director. He is stylistically known for his montages, cut-out graphics, and lip-synching. He is also the co-founder of the Swedish production company Atmo.

About the Series

See some top picks of recent Scandinavian award-winning cinema. Each film will be screened twice—Wednesday at 7 PM and Friday at 6:30 PM. Tickets for individual films are $12 ($7 ASF Members) or you can purchase a Series Pass for all five films for $45 ($30 ASF Members).

To purchase a Series Pass, click here.

Films in the series include:

The King’s Choice /Kongens neiWED—FEB 7 & FRI—FEB 9
Land of mine /Under sandetWED—FEB 14 & FRI—FEB 16
The Nile Hilton IncidentWED—FEB 21 & FRI–FEB 23
Heartstone /HjartasteinnWED—FEB 28 & FRI—MAR 2
The Other Side of Hope /Toivan tuolla puolenWED—MAR 7 & FRI—MAR 9

1519239600

1519246800

Courtesy of Strand Releasing

WED—FEBRUARY 21—7 PM
$12 ($7 ASF Members)
Series pass $45 ($30 ASF Members)
106 min. In Arabic and Dinka with English Subtitles.