The President´s Cake

Hasan
Hadi

(Iraq)
 Selected filmography: Swimsuit (2020)

Nine-year-old Lamia grows up in 1990s Iraq, where daily life is marked by scarcity and fear. When she is chosen to bake a cake for President Saddam Hussein’s birthday, she faces an almost impossible task – finding basic ingredients like eggs, flour, and sugar in a country in crisis. With her friend Saeed, she sets out across the city. She meets traders and authorities, discovering a world where childhood innocence meets harsh reality. Yet she keeps her determination and hope, helping her overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. Winner of the Caméra d’Or and the Audience Award at Cannes, and Iraq’s Oscar entry for Best International Feature, the film sensitively links a personal story with its historical context. It is a moving testament to courage, ingenuity, and the power of a child’s imagination in a world that offers little support.