While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, President Saddam Hussein requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates, and must use her wits and imagination to gather the scarcely-available ingredients in this directorial debut that earned the 2025 Caméra d’Or, at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
The President's Cake
Contemporary Arab Cinema is co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music and:
This series is made possible through the support of:
The President's Cake
Pre-recorded introduction from director Hasan Hadi
Tickets: $11 (members), $16 (nonmembers)
"Shot entirely in the director’s home country with a largely amateur, untrained cast, the film blends a striking sense of street-level realism, political commentary and poetic nostalgia for the naive innocence of youth."
This film is part of the following initiatives:
This film is part of the Contemporary Arab Cinema series.
Contemporary Arab Cinema is co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music and:
This series is made possible through the support of:
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