In a poignant and sweetly crafted debut, Iraqi film-maker Hasan Hadi presents The President's Cake, a Bake Off-style adventure set in early-1990s Iraq that builds to an explosive climax. The film follows nine-year-old Lamia, played by the unselfconsciously excellent Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, who is obliged by her school to bake a birthday cake in honour of Saddam Hussein, despite the harsh realities of sanctions and ingredient shortages.
A Charming Yet Tense Narrative
Hadi, a former Sundance Lab fellow, infuses the story with a terrific charm and sweetness, reminiscent of classic Hollywood touches, thanks to executive producers like Chris Columbus and Eric Roth. The film meanders through Lamia's desperate shopping expedition with her grandmother Bibi, portrayed by Waheed Thabet Khabet, as they search for sanctioned ingredients, accompanied by her pet cockerel, Hindi, whose unpredictable crowings add a layer of improvisational humour.
Vivid Characters and Wartime Realities
Along their journey, Lamia and Bibi encounter a series of vivid characters, including her friend Saeed, played by Sajad Mohama Qasem, who has a crush on her and is groomed as a pickpocket by his beggar father. The film's narrative weaves through encounters with a grocer trading treats for favours and a grim sequence involving a paedophile, all set against a backdrop of constant Saddam Hussein propaganda that complicates every street scene.
Throughout the film, placards and posters of Saddam Hussein loom large, intensifying both happy and sad moments, reflecting life during wartime. One poignant subplot involves a postman who gives Lamia and Bibi a lift, excitedly declaring his love for cake, while his other passenger is a man blinded by an American bomb, adding depth to the wartime setting.
Explosive Climax and Release Details
As the story saunters along, it occasionally accelerates to mad dashes when the children are chased by grownups, culminating in a cake-tasting scene that serves as an explosively important climax. The President's Cake is currently showing in US cinemas, with releases scheduled for UK and Irish cinemas from 13 February and Australian cinemas from 2 April, offering audiences a unique portrait of life in wartime Iraq.
