Hasan Hadi’s debut film THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE had its world premiere in Cannes’ Directors' Fortnight, where won the section’s Audience Award and the Caméra d'Or.

In 1990s Iraq, the young Lamia (Baneen Ahmed Nayyef) lives with her ailing grandmother, Bibi (Waheeda Thabet Khreiba) in a small remote village amongst the Mesopotamian marshes. Despite the skyrocketing cost of living, which is driving the impoverished into further poverty, President Saddam Hussein demands that his nation still celebrate his birthday with a lavish cake baked in his honour. When Lamia’s school selects her to make his cake, what could be seen as a privilege is anything but, as her and Bibi can’t afford to purchase the necessary ingredients. Looking to avoid the brutal punishment enacted on the last family that didn’t comply to the president’s demands, Lamia embarks on an unforgiving quest to secure everything she needs to bake the president’s cake.

Executive produced by writer Eric Roth (Killers of the Flower Moon), and filmmakers Marielle Heller (Nightbitch) and Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE is a timely account of political injustice seen through the eyes of a child, just as Hadi experienced his own childhood.

Arabic and some English language, English subtitles.