The President’s Cake
3½ stars (out of 4)
Writer and director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat and Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rated: PG-13 for strong language, some suggestive material and smoking
Available: In theaters
It is no surprise that Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake won the prestigious Caméra D’Or for best first feature at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The hard-hitting and intimate drama is both a youthful adventure fable and scathing indictment of authoritarian regimes, and it feels particularly relevant in an America struggling with increasing social and political turmoil.
Although I expect Hadi’s story to resonate in the States, it is a distinctly Iraqi film and should be viewed as such. Presented in Arabic with English subtitles, the movie is set during the early 1990s, and it focuses on Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), a young girl living with her grandmother, Bibi (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), in rural Iraq. With the country strangled by UN sanctions, food, medicine, and other necessities are scarce. That makes it a minor tragedy when Lamia is chosen (during a school draw) to bake a cake for the mandatory celebration of President Saddam Hussein’s birthday. The task – framed as an honor – is gargantuan, considering the poverty in which Lamia and Bibi exist. Still, failure to produce the cake would be framed as a crime against the regime, and it could carry significant consequence.
This forces a trip to the city where Lamia believes she will gather ingredients for the dessert. Bibi, however, plans to leave her granddaughter with wealthier friends who can better provide food and necessities. Upon learning this, Lamia runs away to her friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem) who is also in the city. Together, they seek supplies for Lamia’s cake, seemingly believing their quest can mend Lamia’s family.
The President’s Cake is simultaneously powerful and heartbreaking, and Hadi – both writer and director – tells the story with grace. Nayyef, although young, is a wonderful actress who says more with her face than less-skilled performers can coax from their entire bodies. Hadi regularly allows closeups to frame his young actress’s face as she processes disappointments and loss, and the tears that from her eyes say more than pages of dialogue. Sometimes it is uncomfortable to watch, but that is as it should be.
Hasan’s film is a reminder that sanctions and military action against a nation do more than strike those who propagated the conflict. They can force the general populace into desperation and despair, and the most vulnerable are particularly hard hit.
Nayyef’s acting is bolstered by beautiful outings from Khreibat, Qasem, and the remaining cast. All performances are restrained and authentic, which adds to the sense of melancholy that permeates this production.
As sad as The President’s Cake can be, it is not all tragedy. There are moments of suspense, wonder, and even laughter because – like all good filmmakers – Hadi understands that too much of a single mood is stifling. To avoid this pitfall, he bobs and weaves, telling his story with detail and realism, but never so much that the viewer will be overcome with despair. It’s easy to fine oneself invested in Lamia’s quest, and the conclusion to the story is hauntingly beautiful.
Lamia’s tale is painful, but it also speaks to human resilience and the fact that hope, kindness, and love remain even in desperate times. This message is always welcome.
Author Bio:
Forrest Hartman is the chief film critic for Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine