The President’s Cake is a film that I wasn’t sure what to expect. It is set in Iraq in the 1990’s and during the rule of Suddam Hussein. But I was hoping for an interesting movie. Not only did I find it interesting but I also found it heartbreaking and fierce with determination, with a people full of a desire to survive. It was beautiful and difficult at the same time.
The President’s Cake is a drama film written and directed by Hasan Hadi. The film is set in Iraq under President Saddam Hussein in the 1990s, after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and during the period of economic sanctions by western countries that followed. Nine year old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) is given the task of baking a mandatory cake for the president’s birthday or face punishment at her school. She is poor and lives with her grandmother, Bibi, and her cockerel Hindi in Mesopotamiam Marshes where resources are scarce. Bibi (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), old and sick, takes Lamia to the city to meet the woman who will be her foster mother but Lamia takes flight. She soon is joined by her friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem) as they try to find the ingredients to make the cake. The pair survive scrapes and barely get what is needed while the police refuse to help due to the upcoming celebration. In the end, Lamia’s fierce determination allows her to survive but at what cost?
While the film uses subtitles, the story is one of fierce determination and survival in a time of difficulty. Lamia struggles to survive with her grandmother, the pair have few resources but Lamia is determined to carry through with her task. What the story highlights is the massive celebration taking place while the people struggle and bombs are dropped over schools. The film demonstrates the sanctions and much that hurts those trying to live in Iraq, leaving them without needed medications and food. Lamia’s plight is one of many and is heartbreaking.
The friendship between Lamia and Saeed is one of the highlights of the movie, as the pair of children help each other, even as they have different methods for getting the ingredients. Saeed’s mother even helps Lamia bake her cake. The friendship between them is real, especially when they fight and Lamia storms off, leaving Saeed alone. Her little cockerel Hindi adds some humor in an otherwise difficult story to watch as does some of the situations the pair find themselves in, including a visit to the hospital and stealing flour. 
The acting of Baneen Ahmad Nayyef as Lamia and Sajad Mohamad Qasem as Saeed are the highlights of the movie. The pair’s friendship and their helping each other are what drive the plot and carry the film. Both give emotional and strong portrayals as children struggling in a society that is poor and with few resources. Baneen Ahmad Nayyef gives a portrayal that demonstrates Lamia’s fierceness and determination. Sajad Mohamad Qasem as Saeed is strong willed and caring, especially toward Lamia. Waheed Thabet Khreibat as Bibi gives a solid performance as a woman worried and scared for her granddaughter. 
What detracts from the film is the slow pace of the movie. The performances help with the pace of the movie but the movie takes a bit long to set up the premise. It is also not very clear at the beginning that Bibi is ill and this is why she is trying to find a home for Lamia. This becomes more apparent later in the film but the lack of information does cause some confusion. Still, I love Lamia’s determination and her will to survive and the film while heartbreaking, is also very realistic to the time and place.
If you like historical drama films about a very real time and place or films that have fiery characters, I think you will like Lamia and her story. Based in Iraq and on the writer’s own experiences, this story is full of drama and while heartbreaking, is still one that demonstrates a country and a people trying to survive. The performances are excellent and the young performers shine in the movie. The movie is heartbreaking and fierce
Rating: 4 out of 5 roosters.
Leave a Reply