THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE 

Iraq, USA, Qatar I 2024 I Arabic dialogue with Swedish subtitles l 102 min

ABOUT FILM

The Iraqi director Hassan Hadi made an extraordinary debut on the international film scene with his first feature film, The President’s Cake, achieving an unprecedented milestone in the history of Iraqi cinema. The film had its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Caméra d’Or, honoring the best debut feature by a promising director—a high-level recognition of its artistic value and distinctive cinematic voice. The success did not stop there: the film also received the Audience Award in the Directors’ Fortnight section, a dual achievement reflecting both critical acclaim and audience engagement.

Set in Iraq during the 1990s, the film follows a young girl tasked with a seemingly simple mission: to bring a cake to celebrate the president’s birthday. Yet, this task becomes a tense journey filled with fear and anticipation, revealing through everyday details a complex network of authority, obedience, and deprivation. Through the perspective of childhood, the film offers a profound humanistic reflection on the individual’s relationship with the system, without relying on direct political statements or slogans.

What distinguishes The President’s Cake is its ability to blend dark humor with human pain, and simplicity of story with symbolic depth. Hassan Hadi employs a strikingly economical visual style, where glances, silence, and hesitant movements become essential narrative tools. The lead performance by the young girl brings rare authenticity, transforming the experience into a moving cinematic moment that is hard to forget.

Following its success at Cannes, the film continued its international festival journey, reaching another milestone by making the shortlist for the Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, cementing its status as one of the most significant Arab films in recent years.

At the Malmö Arab Film Festival, The President’s Cake offers the audience a chance to experience an exceptional film that balances entertainment and reflection, raising profound questions through small details and proving that cinema, with the simplest means, can express the deepest truths.