The President’s Cake (+English subtitles || Expat Cinema)
Regisseur
Te zien vanaf
Land
Irak
Jaar
2026
Lengte
106 min
Taal
Arabisch
Ondertiteling
Engels
Genres
Kijkwijzer
Set in poverty-stricken Iraq during the 1990s, The President’s Cake follows 9-year-old Lamia, who is chosen to bake a cake for the President’s mandatory birthday celebration at school. In a country devastated by sanctions, shortages and fear, even the simplest ingredients — eggs, flour and sugar — have become almost impossible to find. Together with her devoted grandmother Bibi, her best friend Saeed and her beloved pet rooster Hindi, Lamia embarks on an unforgettable journey from the marshlands to the city in search of what she needs.
Writer-director Hasan Hadi crafts a tender and tragicomic coming-of-age story that captures everyday life under authoritarian rule through the eyes of a child. Inspired by Hadi’s own memories of growing up in Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the film combines warmth, humor and quiet heartbreak into a deeply human odyssey about resilience, innocence and dignity in impossible circumstances.
Shot entirely on location in Iraq with a cast of nonprofessional actors, The President’s Cake offers an intimate and authentic portrait of a forgotten time and place. The film received the prestigious Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, confirming Hasan Hadi as a remarkable new cinematic voice.
