The President’s Cake

Set in Iraq in the 1990s, during the harsh years of war and international sanctions, The President’s Cake follows nine-year-old Lamia, a spirited girl living with her grandmother in the country’s southern marshes. When Lamia is unexpectedly chosen at school to bake a cake for Saddam Hussein’s birthday, what should be a simple assignment becomes an almost impossible mission. Flour, sugar and eggs are scarce and expensive, but failing to produce the cake could have serious consequences.

Determined to succeed, Lamia sets off for the city with her best friend Saeed and her beloved pet rooster, Hindi. Their search for the ingredients becomes an adventure filled with unexpected obstacles, colourful characters and moments of both humour and danger.

Writer-director Hasan Hadi captures a child’s-eye view of life under authoritarian rule with warmth, tenderness and remarkable humanity. A moving story of friendship, resilience and childhood innocence, The President’s Cake won both the Caméra d’Or and the Audience Award at Cannes in 2025.

Get Your Tickets

Tickets available at the door: $15.
Film Club Passes available at the Box Office or at the Perth library: $60 (for five films).