The President’s Cake
November 8 & 9
Sunday @ 2 pm Monday @ 7 pm
Director: Hasan Hadi
Cast: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Rahim AlHaj
Year: 2025
Genre: Drama
Country: Iraq
Language: Arabic
Run Time: 105 minutes
In 1990s Iraq, nine-year-old Lamia lives with her grandmother amid widespread poverty and hardship. When she is selected by her school to bake a birthday cake for President Saddam Hussein, the task becomes a daunting challenge: essential ingredients are scarce, and failure could have serious consequences. Accompanied by her loyal friend Saeed, Lamia embarks on a journey across a country struggling under sanctions and authoritarian rule. Told through a child’s eyes, The President’s Cake is a moving and often humorous story of courage, resourcefulness, and resilience in the face of oppression.
Reviews:
“An exceptional screen debut, as perceptive as it is kinetic and brimming with life.” — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter
“A detail-rich and tremendously moving moral fable that uncovers harsh realities without diminishing the dignity of its young heroine.” — Isaac Feldberg, RogerEbert.com
“A tenderly crafted, often devastating portrait of childhood in rural Iraq, brought vividly to life through richly drawn characters and intimate storytelling.” — Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus