Anti-American Sniper movie, Iraqi Sniper, planned by Egyptian director

An angry cinematic reply to Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated 2014 movie ‘American Sniper’ is being plotted by Egyptian director Amr Salama.

Salama, who won acclaim for movies like ‘Asmaa’ in 2011 and ‘Excuse My French’ in 2014, has said that he ‘hated’ Eastwood’s movie so much that he now wants to tell the other side of the story.

Instead of the character of Mustafa – the sniper for the Iraqi insurgents – being the villain of the movie, as in Eastwood’s film, he’ll be the hero.

“He’s the hero in my film,” Salama told The Hollywood Reporter.

“I hated [‘American Sniper’]. That was my inspiration – I hated it so much that I wanted to work on a different version of that story.

“But I’m trying to make an anti-war film. Whereas ‘American Sniper’ was pro-war.”

Salama says that he even has the actor Sammy Sheik, who played Mustafa in Eastwood’s movie, on board to reprise his role.

The film, which starred Bradley Cooper, was loosely based on ‘American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History’, penned by former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle about his experiences serving in Iraq.

Though some critics hailed the movie at the time – many calling it an effective ‘anti-war’ movie – others branded it ‘propaganda’.

Both Michael Moore and Seth Rogen weighed in on the subject matter and the tone of Eastwood’s film.

But others, like author and ex-Navy SEAL sniper instructor Brandon Webb, slated the stars for their stance.

“They aren’t attacking a conservative right of America,” he said. “They are going after the fabric of America at a time when it is celebrating a hero and when the country needs a hero.”

Salama will present his next movie, ‘Sheikh Jackson, at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

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