Latest news with #ThePresidentsCake
LBCI
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- LBCI
Iraq's first-ever director at Cannes Festival wins best feature debut
Hasan Hadi, the first filmmaker from Iraq to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Festival, on Saturday won a top prize for his childhood adventure under economic sanctions in "The President's Cake." His first feature-length film follows nine-year-old Lamia after her school teacher picks her to bake the class a cake for President Saddam Hussein's birthday or risk being denounced for disloyalty. It is the early 1990s, the country is under crippling U.N. sanctions, and she and her grandmother can barely afford to eat. The pair set off from their home in the marshlands into town to try to track down the unaffordable ingredients. Hadi dedicated his Camera d'Or award, which honors first-time directors, to "every kid or child around the world who somehow finds love, friendship, and joy amid war, sanctions, and dictatorship. "You are the real heroes," he said. He later shared the stage with dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won the festival's Palme D'Or top prize for his "It Was Just an Accident," the tale of five ordinary Iranians confronting a man they believed tortured them in jail. "The President's Cake" has received excellent reviews since premiering last week in the Directors' Fortnight section. Cinema bible Variety called it a "tragicomic gem." Deadline said it was "head and shoulders above" some of the films in the running for the festival's Palme d'Or top prize, and "could turn out to be Iraq's first nominee for an Oscar." Also from the Middle East, Palestinian director Tawfeek Barhom received his award for his short film "I'm Glad You're Dead Now." After giving thanks, he took the opportunity to mention the war in Gaza. "In 20 years from now when we are visiting the Gaza Strip, try not to think about the dead and have a nice trip," he said. Outside the main competition, Gazan twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser on Friday received a directing award in the Certain Regard parallel section for "Once Upon A Time In Gaza." One of them dedicated the award to Palestinians, especially those living in their homeland of Gaza, which they left in 2012. He said that, when they hesitated to return to Cannes to receive the prize, his mother had encouraged him to go and tell the world about the suffering of people in Gaza. "She said, 'No, no, no, you have to go. Tell them to stop the genocide," he said. AFP
The National
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
First Iraqi director at Cannes wins top prize with The President's Cake
Hasan Hadi, the first filmmaker from Iraq to win a top prize at the Cannes Film Festival said he's optimistic about the future of cinema in his country. "I think this proves that our story matters and if you can tell them and tell them well, people around the world will respond positively," he said. At the festival on Saturday, Hadi's childhood adventure film, The President's Cake, won the Camera d'Or, which honours first-time directors. Set in the 1990s when Iraq was under crippling UN sanctions, the drama follows nine-year-old Lamia after her school teacher picks her to bake the class a cake for President Saddam Hussein's birthday or risk being denounced for disloyalty. Along with her grandmother, the pair set off from their home in the marshlands into town to try to track down the unaffordable ingredients. Speaking at a press conference following his win, Hadi called the win "overwhelming and exciting". "It means more responsibility and that you have to make films in the same level," he said. "We are an emerging industry. There's still a lot to be done, there are lot of artists that are coming up and I'm optimistic about the future of cinema." The President's Cake received excellent reviews since premiering last week in the Directors' Fortnight section. Hadi and his team shot the feature entirely in Iraq, filming predominantly amid the ancient wetlands in the south of the country, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2016. He spoke to AFP about how the near-total trade and financial embargo imposed on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait "demolished the moral fabric of society," Hadi said. It sent the country "hundreds of years back", he said, adding that he did not taste cake until he was in his early teens, after the US-led invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam and sanctions were lifted. "Sanctions empower dictators," he said. "In the history of the world, there was no one time when they imposed sanctions and the president couldn't eat." Following his win, Hadi dedicated his award to "every kid or child around the world who somehow finds love, friendship and joy amid war, sanctions and dictatorship". "You are the real heroes," he said. He later shared the stage with dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won the festival's Palme D'Or top prize for his film It Was Just an Accident, the tale of five ordinary Iranians confronting a man they believed tortured them in jail. Also from the Middle East, Palestinian director Tawfeek Barhom received his award for his short film I'm Glad You're Dead Now. After giving thanks, he took the opportunity to mention the war in Gaza. "In 20 years from now when we are visiting the Gaza Strip, try not to think about the dead and have a nice trip," he said. US President Donald Trump sparked controversy this year by saying he wanted to turn the war-ravaged Palestinian territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East". Agencies contributed to this report
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Iraqi director Hasan Hadi wins top Cannes debut prize for childhood tale set under Saddam's rule
CANNES, May 25 — Hasan Hadi, the first filmmaker from Iraq to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Festival, on Saturday won a top prize for his childhood adventure under economic sanctions in 'The President's Cake'. His first feature-length film follows nine-year-old Lamia after her school teacher picks her to bake the class a cake for President Saddam Hussein's birthday or risk being denounced for disloyalty. It is the early 1990s, the country is under crippling UN sanctions, and she and her grandmother can barely afford to eat. The pair set off from their home in the marshlands into town to try to track down the unaffordable ingredients. Hadi dedicated his Camera d'Or award, which honours first-time directors, to 'every kid or child around the world who somehow finds love, friendship and joy amid war, sanctions and dictatorship. 'You are the real heroes,' he said. He later shared the stage with dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won the festival's Palme D'Or top prize for his 'It Was Just an Accident', the tale of five ordinary Iranians confronting a man they believed tortured them in jail. 'The President's Cake' has received excellent reviews since premiering last week in the Directors' Fortnight section. Cinema bible Variety called it a 'tragicomic gem'. Deadline said it was 'head and shoulders above' some of the films in the running for the festival's Palme d'Or top prize, and 'could turn out to be Iraq's first nominee for an Oscar'. Palestinian films Also from the Middle East, Palestinian director Tawfeek Barhom received his award for his short film 'I'm Glad You're Dead Now'. After giving thanks, he took the opportunity to mention the war in Gaza. 'In 20 years from now when we are visiting the Gaza Strip, try not to think about the dead and have a nice trip,' he said. US President Donald Trump sparked controversy this year by saying he wanted to turn the war-ravaged Palestinian territory into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'. Outside the main competition, Gazan twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser on Friday received a directing award in the Certain Regard parallel section for 'Once Upon A Time In Gaza'. One of them dedicated the award to Palestinians, especially those living in their homeland of Gaza, which they left in 2012. He said that, when they hesitated to return to Cannes to receive the prize, his mother had encouraged him to go and tell the world about the suffering of people in Gaza. 'She said, 'No, no, no, you have to go. Tell them to stop the genocide',' he said. Amnesty International last month said Israel was carrying out a 'live-streamed genocide' against Palestinians in Gaza, claims Israel dismissed as 'blatant lies'. — AFP
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Films Boutique Delivers ‘The President's Cake' to Multiple Territories After Cannes Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Films Boutique has sold Hasan Hadi's 'The President's Cake,' which had its world premiere in Cannes sidebar Directors' Fortnight, to multiple territories. The film was picked up by Lucky Red for Italy, Atalante for Spain, Rialto Distribution for Australia/New Zealand, Filmcoopi for Switzerland, Cinobo for Greece and Nitrato Filmes for Portugal. More from Variety Scarlett Johansson's Directorial Debut 'Eleanor the Great' Lands 5-Minute Cannes Ovation as She Praises Star June Squibb as 'Truly Inspiring' 'Eleanor the Great' Review: Scarlett Johansson's Directorial Debut Is an Unconvincing Crowd-Pleaser, With June Squibb Doing Brash Shtick Erin Kellyman on Starring in Scarlett Johansson's Directorial Debut 'Eleanor the Great': 'This Job Has Changed the Way I See Myself as an Actor' Negotiations are underway for the U.K., Turkey, Scandinavia, Latin America, Austria and the Middle-East. As previously announced, Tandem has the film in France, and September Film has it in Benelux. North American rights are handled by UTA/WME. 'The President's Cake' takes place in 1990s Iraq when people across the country are struggling to survive food shortages. It is at this time that Saddam Hussein requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen from among her classmates. The girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients for the mandatory cake or face the consequences. 'The President's Cake' was filmed entirely in Iraq with a cast of local non-actors, who included Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat and Rahim AlHaj. Hadi grew up in southern Iraq during wartime, and over the years worked in journalism, production and as an adjunct professor at NYU's Graduate Film Program. He is a 2022 Sundance Institute Feature Film Fellow and the recipient of the 2022 Sundance Institute/NHK Award, SFFILM Rainin Grant, and Doha Film Institute Production Grant for 'The President's Cake,' his feature debut. The film's producer is Leah Chen Baker, who is an Independent Spirit Award-nominated producer and filmmaker. She produced Jamie Dack's feature debut, 'Palm Trees and Power Lines,' which premiered at Sundance 2022 and won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award. Executive producers include Academy Award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth ('Forrest Gump') and director Marielle Heller. The film is made in association with Missing Piece Films, Working Barn Productions, Maiden Voyage Films and Spark Features. The director of photography is Tudor Vladimir Panduru, the DP of Palme d'Or winner Cristian Mungiu on 'Bacalaureat' and 'RMN.' The editor is Andu Radu. Films Boutique's lineup includes Ira Sachs' 'Peter Hujar's Day,' which premiered in Sundance, Georgi M. Unkovski's 'DJ Ahmet,' the Audience Award winner from Sundance, and 'Tarika' by Milko Lazarov, which screens in the Cannes Ecrans Junior section. There will be market screenings for the recent Berlinale competition title 'Girls on Wire' by Vivian Qu and 'Where the Wind Comes From' by Amel Guellaty, which also premiered in Sundance earlier this year. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Iraqi filmmaker makes Cannes debut with moving tale of childhood under sanctions
CANNES, May 19 — Hasan Hadi, the first filmmaker from Iraq to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Festival, said that economic embargoes like those imposed in his childhood under Saddam Hussein do not work. 'Sanctions empower dictators,' he told AFP, claiming that they concentrate scant resources in their hands and only make them 'more brutal'. 'In the history of the world, there was no one time when they (imposed) sanctions and the president couldn't eat.' Hadi's first feature film, The President's Cake, has received very good reviews since premiering on Friday in the Directors' Fortnight section, with Variety calling it a 'tragicomic gem'. Deadline said it was 'head and shoulders above' some of the films in the running for the festival's Palme d'Or top prize, and 'could turn out to be Iraq's first nominee for an Oscar'. The film follows nine-year-old Lamia after she has the misfortune of being picked by her school teacher to bake the class a cake for the president's birthday, or be denounced for disloyalty. It is the early 1990s and the country is under crippling UN sanctions. She and her grandmother — with whom she shares a reed home in Iraq's southern marshlands — can barely afford to eat. As they set off into town to hunt down unaffordable ingredients, with Lamia's pet cockerel and their last meagre belongings to sell, the film plunges into the social reality — and everyday petty corruption — of 1990s Iraq. The near-total trade and financial embargo imposed on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait 'demolished the moral fabric of society', Hadi said. It sent the country 'hundreds of years back'. 'Selling their door frames' The filmmaker said he did not taste cake until he was in his early teens, after the US-led invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam and sanctions were lifted. Instead, with processed sugar and eggs out of reach, there was 'date cake' — whose main ingredient was squished dates, sometimes with a candle on top. 'As a kid you're sad that you're not getting your cake,' he said. But as you grow up, you realise what your parents must have gone through to put food on the table. 'Not only my family, but all of these people had to sell literally everything,' he said. 'There were people that were even selling their door frames.' Hadi and his team shot the film entirely in Iraq. It beautifully captures the ancient wetlands in the south of the country, listed as a World Heritage Site since 2016 and reputedly the home of the biblical Garden of Eden. Saddam drained them in the 1990s, trying to flush out rebels hiding in the reeds. But after the US-led invasion, authorities opened up the valves and the wetlands flourished again—even if they are now threatened by climate change. Hadi said he chose the location partly to make the point that 'the marshes stayed and Saddam went away'. Infamous eatery To re-create the Iraq of his youth, Hadi and his crew paid close attention to detail, amassing vintage clothes and bringing a barber on set to trim the hair and moustaches of everyone down to the extras. They scouted out the best locations, shooting one scene in a small eatery reputed to have been frequented by Saddam himself. They chose non-actors to play ordinary Iraqis under the ever-present eyes of the president in posters, picture frames and murals. Hadi said that hearing US President Donald Trump say recently that he planned to lift sanctions on Syria after Islamists toppled former president Bashar al-Assad last year was 'amazing'. 'I don't think the sanctions helped in any way to get rid of Bashar, but definitely empowered him to kill more people, and torture more people,' he said. — AFP
