The President's Cake

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The President's Cake

PG-13

Feb 2026

1h 45m

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

81 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

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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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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Sandra Hall

The Age (Australia)

Apr 2

4/5

It’s certainly not a tragedy yet Hadi is too much of a realist to deliver a happy ending and he finishes on a note of sadness. But you’re still left with great faith in Lamia and Saeed’s ability to make their way in the world, no matter what lies ahead.

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Maxwell Rabb

Chicago Reader

Mar 9

The President’s Cake is carried by the remarkable performances of its predominantly amateur cast, especially its child actors.

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Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

Feb 26

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.

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

May 13

4.5/5

Heartbreaking yet poetic, The President’s Cake unfolds as a perceptive and elegantly crafted fable, enriched by refined imagery and a bittersweet emotional tone.

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Graeme Tuckett

The Post NZ

May 5

4.5/5

This is a tough little gem of a film. It is beautiful to look at, shot through with flashes of humour and melodrama, and written with a terrifically acute understanding of a child's way of seeing and making sense of the world.

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John McDonald

johnmcdonald.net.au

Apr 9

The political atmosphere is oppressive, but as we view the world through the eyes of a nine-year-old we never feel as if we are watching a film with an overt political message.

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Emma

Mar 5

Could have been an hour long. The good thing it shows how terrible lives are under these dictators.

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Joanne S

Feb 27

An intimate experience of Iraq under Saddam Husseins rule. Told from the perspective of two young schoolchildren, this film is heartwarming and heartbreaking.

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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.

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Kyrill G

@RT38548830 5d

It's a okay/nice/fine movie. I think 99% critcis and 91% popcorn/audience rating is a bit too high imo. Though it's quite entertaining, and I learned a lot of new things. It's nice getting to know other cultures, and in this cafe specifally Irak. For instance in this movie everyone takings a rowing boat to school/work, never knew that be4. And It does make you think ''twice'' about Dictators. Ofc they are Bad, but where they only bad? Before the US invadeded there were 0 sucicde bombings in Irak, now the numbers, since than, has been in the thousands of more suicide bombings. And the children actors and actreces in this movie are quite good. I liked the Delivery /Postman guy a lot. He is really kind , in a very corrupt culture and sociecty.

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Vincent S

@Vin_E_At_The_Movies May 22

This is a thoughtful, emotional, naturally well-acted and very well-made drama. A period film that is compelling and powerful if sobering coming-of-age-drama.

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Monteg G

@MrMonteg May 19

Strong story about hard life,especially for children,in country where government confess total political and religious dictatorship.

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Hasan Hadi

Director

Baneen Ahmad Nayyef

Lamia

Sajad Mohamad Qasem

Saeed

Waheed Thabet Khreibat

Bibi

Rahim AlHaj

Jasim

Muthanna Malaghi

Muthanna

The President's Cake: Extended Preview

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The President's Cake: Teaser Trailer

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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
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 7, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA): $214.0K
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1