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The President's Cake

Play trailer 1:07 Poster for The President's Cake PG-13 Now Playing 1h 45m Drama History Play Trailer Watchlist
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99% Tomatometer 71 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
While people across 1990's Iraq struggle to survive, 9-year old Lamia has been selected to prepare a cake to celebrate the President's birthday. In a landscape of fear and scarcity, where basic ingredients are nearly impossible to find, Lamia sets out on a determined journey throughout the big city in search of eggs, flour, and sugar. Accompanied by her grandmother, her loyal friend Saeed, and her pet rooster Hindi, she navigates vendors and police officers along the way.
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The President's Cake

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Critics Consensus

A tenderly crafted, often devastating portrait of childhood in rural Iraq, The President's Cake vividly brings to life its morally complex world through richly drawn characters and intimate storytelling.

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Critics Reviews

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Barry Hertz Globe and Mail 6d
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. Go to Full Review
Bill Goodykoontz Arizona Republic Feb 24
4.5/5
What’s most remarkable about the film are the performances. Go to Full Review
Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Feb 19
This is an impressive first feature from the writer-director Hasan Hadi, a sharply observed, bittersweet, child’s-eye odyssey that avoids cute-kid cliches. Go to Full Review
Robin Holabird Robin Holabird 3d
The film shows a society whose residents hardly realize the outrageous nature of its demands—elements that would qualify as farcical except for the serious consequences of failure. Go to Full Review
Ruth Maramis FlixChatter Film Blog 4d
4.5/5
A profoundly moving journey through the eyes of a 9-year-old Iraqi girl, and Nayyef is a revelation in the lead role. It’s really astounding what Hadi’s accomplished here with a limited budget and mostly unknown actors. Go to Full Review
Anne Brodie What She Said 4d
4/4
It’s uncomfortable to watch a nine-year-old wander the city alone, to see her harassed by her teacher and struggle … don’t look away for a second. IA heartbreaker. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Joanne S 5d An intimate experience of Iraq under Saddam Husseins rule. Told from the perspective of two young schoolchildren, this film is heartwarming and heartbreaking. See more Matt Feb 18 Outstanding film. The young girl was so talented I was shocked to hear it was her first film. It was both heartwarming and devastating. The rooster did a great job too. See more Runa R 11h It’s a harrowing film because of the reality it portrays of a dictatorship, seen through the experiences of a child. Small details scattered throughout reveal how a megalomaniac man — like all dictators — knows how to exploit the weaknesses of the human mind, how to keep the masses in ignorance, blindly idolising those who oppress them. Human crowds can become a grotesque phenomenon of brutality and ignorance, and history has shown us time and again that there is always a man who knows how to manipulate this stupidity all too well. See more Lisa M @Shorty63 1d Very touching film that depicts the lives of children in 1990’s Iraq See more Jeannette E 1d Beautiful. Authentic. The storyline keeps you engaged throughout the movie. It also gives the audience moments of pause and reflection. See more Georges C 2d A masterpiece. A must see! See more Read all reviews
The President's Cake

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Movie Info

Synopsis While people across 1990's Iraq struggle to survive, 9-year old Lamia has been selected to prepare a cake to celebrate the President's birthday. In a landscape of fear and scarcity, where basic ingredients are nearly impossible to find, Lamia sets out on a determined journey throughout the big city in search of eggs, flour, and sugar. Accompanied by her grandmother, her loyal friend Saeed, and her pet rooster Hindi, she navigates vendors and police officers along the way.
Director
Hasan Hadi
Producer
Leah Chen Baker
Screenwriter
Hasan Hadi, Eric Roth
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
TPC Film
Rating
PG-13 (Strong Language|Some Suggestive Material|Smoking)
Genre
Drama, History
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 6, 2026, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA)
$39.3K
Runtime
1h 45m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)