The President’s Cake (2025) is an internationally co-produced Iraqi drama set in the 1990s during Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian rule and the height of international sanctions.
Directed and written by Hasan Hadi, the film draws heavily from the filmmaker’s childhood memories and blends poetic realism with tragicomic storytelling. The cast features Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, and Sajad Mohamad Qasem.
Plot Summary and Central Conflict The story centers on Lamia (played by Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), a resilient and determined nine-year-old girl who lives a life of poverty with her ailing grandmother, Bibi (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), in the picturesque, yet isolated, Mesopotamian Marshes.
Disaster strikes when Lamia’s school, in a darkly absurd gesture of mandatory loyalty, selects her to provide the birthday cake for a local celebration of President Saddam Hussein’s birthday.
In a nation crippled by shortages of essential goods like flour, sugar, and eggs, procuring the ingredients for this compulsory cake becomes an epic, monumental task. Failure to deliver is not a simple matter of a bad grade; it carries the looming, severe threat of punishment from an unforgiving authoritarian regime.
Premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the film won both the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award and the Caméra d’Or, and it will release worldwide later in 2025 through various festival-focused distributors.
The President’s Cake Age Rating
The President’s Cake is officially rated PG-13 for strong language, some suggestive material, and smoking. This reflects its mature political setting, tense atmosphere, and depictions of survival under dictatorship, though the film maintains a child-centered point of view that softens the harshness of its themes.
Violence & Peril
The film contains no graphic violence, but its emotional intensity is notable. Lamia faces the looming threat of state punishment if she fails to deliver the required birthday cake, creating sustained tension. Scenes depict intimidation from authority figures, the fear of military checkpoints, and moments where the children feel physically unsafe in the city. Although no violent acts are shown on-screen, the psychological weight of authoritarian control creates a persistent sense of peril that may unsettle sensitive younger viewers.
Language
Strong language appears throughout the film, especially in scenes depicting anger, frustration, or desperation. Characters facing scarcity and oppression occasionally use profanity, including harsher terms in heated exchanges. The language reflects the bleak environment and moral decay caused by sanctions and social collapse.
Mature Themes
The film explores complex themes, including dictatorship, poverty, illness, exploitation, and the moral compromises adults make to survive. There are moments of suggestive material—nothing explicit—but some dialogue hints at adult behavior shaped by deprivation. Smoking appears throughout, often used to underscore stress or resignation. The narrative’s deeper message centers on resilience and innocence amid a broken system, but its thematic heaviness may be challenging for younger viewers.
Is The President’s Cake Suitable for Teens?
Ages 10–12: Not Recommended. The political tension, mature themes, and emotional weight may be too intense for preteens. While violence is not graphic, the fear surrounding authoritarian consequences could be distressing.
Ages 13–15: Suitable With Guidance. Teens in this range may appreciate the child’s perspective and understand the stakes with parental context. Conversations about history, dictatorship, and survival will help them process the subtler themes and emotional tension.
Ages 16+: Yes. Older teens will likely find the film meaningful and culturally insightful. Its emotional nuance, political setting, and artistic style make it suitable for mature viewers interested in world cinema or historical narratives. Overall, the film is best suited for ages 14 and up, depending on sensitivity to political tension.
What Parents Can Do
Discuss the historical context before viewing to help teens understand Iraq’s sanctions era and life under dictatorship.
Talk about fear and resilience after the film, focusing on how children navigate oppressive systems.
Explore real-world parallels to help teens grasp broader themes of authoritarianism, scarcity, and moral choices under pressure.
Official Trailer
FAQs
Q: What is The President’s Cake rated?
A: It is rated PG-13 for strong language, some suggestive material, and smoking.
Q: Is The President’s Cake appropriate for kids or younger teens?
A: It’s generally not recommended for viewers under 13 due to mature themes and sustained tension.
Q: Does The President’s Cake contain violence or scary scenes?
A: There is no graphic violence, but the fear of punishment from authorities creates emotional intensity.
Q: Is there sexual content or nudity in The President’s Cake?
A: No explicit sexual content appears, though there is mild suggestive material in dialogue.
Q: How strong is the language?
A: The film includes intermittent strong language and emotionally charged outbursts.