Synopsis

It’s “draw day” across Iraq, when schools select students for the honour of bringing items to their mandatory local celebrations of President Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Nine-year-old Lamia lives in the historic marshes with her spirited grandmother, Bibi. Before school, Bibi teaches Lamia clever tricks to avoid being chosen for the president’s cake. However, when Musa, the authoritative teacher, calls Lamia’s name for the most challenging task–the birthday cake–she has no choice but to accept. Refusing could mean imprisonment or even death.

Critics Views

“It’s difficult to think of another debut that combines such crowd-pleasing sensibilities, political resonance, and cinematic sweep.”
The Film Stage

“From the pastoral beauty of its opening sequence to the gut punch of its last, Hadi’s film is an exceptional screen debut, as perceptive as it is kinetic and, with one eye on the bombers overhead, brimming with life” The Hollywood Reporter

“The President’s Cake is notable for its unvarnished, affecting performances; its digitally shot yet eerily film-like cinematography, which packs an amazing amount of crisply focused information into wide frames with rounded edges. But most of all, for the way it captures the strange disjunction between the monotony of daily life for children in a war zone and the anxiety between adults who are aware that everything could fall apart at any moment.”
Roger Ebert

“Hadi has an eye for detail, echoes and lyrical touches.”
Screen Daily

“It’s a striking, mature debut”
The New York Times

“It’s a testament to Nayyef’s ingenuous performance and the mesmerising sense of place that the film is always compelling and sometimes bleakly funny, although there are no happy endings.” The Times

Awards

Official submission of Iraq for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 98th Academy Awards in 2026

Cannes Film Festival
2025 Winner Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award (Hasan Hadi)
2025 Winner Golden Camera (Hasan Hadi)

Lisbon Film Festival 2025
Nominee: Best Film Award

Film Rating

IMDb
 Critics: 84%  Audience 76%

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics positive review 99%   Audience Liked It 92%

 Stockbridge Audience Score: 93%

Audience Comments

Very moving. One of the best films that I have seen this year.
interesting insight into everyday life at the end of the regime
I learned a lot about everyday life for Marsh Arabs and city dwellers in somewhere like Basra.
Intriguing and uncomfortable glimpse into another painful and chaotic world. Programme notes useful and confirm that director met his objectives particularly in the performances of the non professional cast.
Wonderful, humbling film
Loved seeing how locals lived at that time
The children gave an entrancing performance on their debuts
A very powerful and compelling film that offered insights into Iraq and its culture not normally visible in news coverage. Within the wrapping of a ‘sweet’ tale of a girl collecting cake ingredients, the film touched on major political themes- the impact of sanctions on ordinary people was one. The non actor child performers held me.
Really interesting, an experience in film. Thank you.
Harrowing
Loved the film. Facinating and rich with meaning and resonance and texture.
The shattered lives of children under conflict, brilliantlyportrayed (shades of Khalid Husseni)
Very moving
A touching but brutal insight into life in this particular place and time.
very moving, informative and thought provoking
An impressive view of treatment of women and children in Afghanistan and living conditions during the war with America. The children were great actors. A happy ending would have made the film easier to watch but I suppose softening the message was not intended…bleak and hard hitting!
The political condition and an image of social life in Iraq at the time.
Very moving and beautifully shot. Well done putting on this film.