Iraq, 1990s. Strict international sanctions have led to extreme poverty and shortages of food and medicine. Lamia (Baneen Ahmed Nayyef), a diligent third-grader, is tasked with scrounging up a cake for her class’s mandatory celebration of Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Should she fail, dire punishment will befall her and her ailing grandmother. Accompanied by her beloved rooster Hindi and pickpocketing friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem), Lamia ventures into the city to barter her few belongings for the eggs, sugar, flour, and baking powder she needs.
With dynamic wide-angle shots and a stirring oud-driven soundtrack, The President’s Cake transports us to the enchanting Mesopotamian marshlands of Lamia’s village and the bustling bazaars of Baghdad. Inspired by childhood memories, writer-director Hasan Hadi’s empathetic, tragicomic debut feature blends the ingredients of a fairy tale with gutting social realism, and soulful performances from its young leads capture the depth of friendship forged under an authoritarian regime.
Camera d’Or, Audience Award: Director’s Fortnight, Cannes 2025; Oscar Submission: Iraq
Hasan Hadi
Baneen Ahmed Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheeda Thabet Khreibat, Rahim AlHaj
Iraq/USA/Qatar
2025
In Arabic with English subtitles
At Granville Island Stage & International Village
At Fifth Avenue
Book Tickets
Credits
Producer
Leah Chen Baker
Screenwriter
Hasan Hadi
Cinematography
Tudor Vladimir Panduru
Editor
Andu Radu
Production Design
Annmarie Tecu
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