Iraqi Director's Debut Film Wins Cannes Award and Opens in Theaters
Hasan Hadi's first feature film 'La torta del presidente' has been released in theaters after winning the Caméra d'or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film is set in 1990s Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime and follows a 9-year-old girl tasked with baking a birthday cake for the president. This Iraqi production is notable as few films from that country reach international distribution. The narrative explores themes of oppression and childhood resilience, drawing inspiration from Italian neorealism and Iranian cinema. Additionally, Andrea De Sica's new film 'Gli occhi degli altri' premiered, inspired by a notorious Italian crime case from the 1960s.
Key facts
- Hasan Hadi's debut film 'La torta del presidente' won the Caméra d'or at Cannes in 2025
- The story is set in 1990s Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule and international sanctions
- The plot centers on a 9-year-old girl assigned to bake a cake for the president's birthday
- The film draws influence from Italian neorealist directors and Iranian filmmakers like Abbas Kiarostami
- Andrea De Sica's new film 'Gli occhi degli altri' premiered, inspired by the Casati Stampa murder case
Entities
Artists
- Hasan Hadi
- Andrea De Sica
- Vittorio De Sica
- Cesare Zavattini
- Abbas Kiarostami
- Jasmine Trinca
Institutions
- Festival di Cannes
Locations
- Iraq
- Baghdad
- Iran
- Italy