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Book Tickets
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Synopsis
A simple task. An impossible journey. From acclaimed writer and director Hasan Hadi comes THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE, the Cannes Camera d’Or and Audience Award-winning debut that offers a poignant and darkly humorous portrait of childhood under extraordinary circumstances. Set in 1990s Iraq, the film follows nine-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who is selected to bake a mandatory cake for the president’s birthday - a task that carries serious consequences if she fails. In a landscape defined by scarcity and fear, Lamia sets out on a perilous journey with her friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem), navigating a world of unpredictable adults and impossible odds. Blending warmth, tension and moments of unexpected humour, Hadi crafts a vivid coming-of-age story that captures both the resilience of childhood and the quiet absurdity of life under dictatorship. 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.
A simple task. An impossible journey. From acclaimed writer and director Hasan Hadi comes THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE, the Cannes Camera d’Or and Audience Award-winning debut that offers a poignant and darkly humorous portrait of childhood under extraordinary circumstances. Set in 1990s Iraq, the film follows nine-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who is selected to bake a mandatory cake for the president’s birthday - a task that carries serious consequences if she fails. In a landscape defined by scarcity and fear, Lamia sets out on a perilous journey with her friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem), navigating a world of unpredictable adults and impossible odds. Blending warmth, tension and moments of unexpected humour, Hadi crafts a vivid coming-of-age story that captures both the resilience of childhood and the quiet absurdity of life under dictatorship. 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.
Reviews
“From the pastoral beauty of its opening sequence to the gut punch of its last, Hadi’s film is an exceptional screen debut, as perceptive as it is kinetic and, with one eye on the bombers overhead, brimming with life.”
— The Hollywood Reporter
“It’s a testament to Nayyef’s ingenuous performance and the mesmerising sense of place that the film is always compelling and sometimes bleakly funny, although there are no happy endings.”
— The Times (UK)
“There’s a terrific charm and sweetness in this debut from Iraqi film-maker Hasan Hadi.”
— Guardian
Movie Information
Release Date
Thursday, 2nd April 2026
Duration
102 MIN
Language
Arabic and English with English Subtitiles
Rating
M
Director
Hasan Hadi
Cast
Banin Ahmad Nayef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Rahim AlHaj
Genre
Drama, Foreign, Arthouse
Participating Cinemas
Trending
Movie Information
Release Date
Thursday, 2nd April 2026
Duration
102 MIN
Language
Arabic and English with English Subtitiles
Rating
M
Director
Hasan Hadi
Cast
Banin Ahmad Nayef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Rahim AlHaj
Genre
Drama, Foreign, Arthouse
