Screening as Part of our International Film Festival
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE (M) Run Time: 105mins
Writer/Director: Hasan Hadi Producer: Leah Chen Baker Cast; Rahim Alhaj, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Winner: Hasan Hadi’s debut film had its world premiere in Cannes’ Directors' Fortnight, where it won the section’s Audience Award and the Caméra d'Or.
Despite the skyrocketing cost of living, which is driving the impoverished into further poverty, President Saddam Hussein demands that his nation still celebrate his birthday with a lavish cake baked in his honour…. In 1990s Iraq, 9-yr-old Lamia is selected to bake Saddam Hussein's birthday cake. Looking to avoid the brutal punishment enacted on the last family that didn’t comply to the president’s demands, Lamia embarks on an unforgiving quest to secure everything she needs to bake The President’s Cake. The President’s Cake was filmed entirely in Iraq, using mostly untrained actors and was Iraq’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards.
Tender, visually striking and deeply human, THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE is an unforgettable big-screen experience and a powerful reminder of hope and courage in the face of adversity.
