Iraq’s First Cannes Film Wins Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award

The President’s Cake, Iraq’s first film to be selected at the Cannes Film Festival, won the Directors’ Fortnight People’s Choice Award, marking a significant achievement for debut filmmaker Hasan Hadi. The film, set during the harsh sanctions era under Saddam Hussein's regime, follows nine-year-old Lamia as she embarks on a perilous journey to gather ingredients for the dictator’s birthday cake, highlighting the severe impact of food shortages and political oppression on everyday life. Produced through an international collaboration involving the US, Iraq, and Qatar, the film has been praised for its poignant storytelling and detailed period depiction, with critics calling it a 'tragicomic gem' and a potential arthouse success. Alongside this, Belgian director Valéry Carnoy’s Wild Foxes won the Europa Cinemas Label and the SACD Coup de Cœur Award, gaining additional support for its theatrical run. The President’s Cake also benefits from the involvement of notable producers and has been internationally sold by Films Boutique, with UTA handling North American rights. The award, launched in partnership with the Chantal Akerman Foundation, seeks to honor bold, audience-connected filmmaking, making this recognition a major breakthrough for Hadi and Iraqi cinema.