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‘The President’s Cake’ Review: First Time Iraqi Director Hasan Hadi Delivers One Of The Fest’s Genuine Gems – Cannes Film Festival
A review of Cannes Film Festival Directors Fortnight entry The President's Cake which is the first film from Iraq
Now the subject of a search by authorities and the only distant relatives she has, Lamia finds herself joined by classmate Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem) as she tries valiantly to evade her pursuers, get those cake ingredients somehow, and hit the amusement park all the while with Hindi tucked in her front pocket. Much happens along the way, both sadness and success, as Hadi’s film takes us on an adventure she – or we – won’t forget, but also one that ultimately does not erase the realities of being a country at war and under severe sanctions from the United States as a retaliation for 9/11 which the Bush Administration tried to blame on Iraq. Oscar winning screenwriter Eric Roth ( Forrest Gump) and filmmaker Marielle Heller ( Can You Ever Forgive Me?, A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood) are Executive Producers in a supportive move to give this worthy film a higher profile.
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