Gabes Cinema Fen — "The President's Cake" (Mamlaket al-qasab) by Hassan Hadi: The silences of an embargoed tale

The Gabès Cinéma Fen festival is showcasing a diverse and rich cinematic program, featuring a compelling selection of international and Arab films. Among the highlights is Hassan Hadi's "Le Gâteau du Président" (Mamlaket al-qasab), an Iraqi film that has garnered significant international attention. Its inclusion in the festival's Arab Cinema section underscores its importance and relevance to regional audiences.

“

Visuellement, on a eu droit à de magnifiques travellings d’ouverture sur les maisons flottantes au milieu des roseaux, à l’embouchure du Tigre et de l’Euphrate. Les marais avec ces décors sont filmés dans une lenteur presque méditative, comme suspendus hors du temps.

"Le Gâteau du Président" transports viewers to 1990s Iraq, a period marked by the devastating impact of the embargo and the Gulf War. The narrative centers on a young girl, Lamiaa, who is compelled to bake a cake for Saddam Hussein's birthday, a tradition imposed on all schools. This seemingly simple task becomes an epic journey, highlighting the immense challenges of scarcity and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of a repressive regime.

“

Lauréat de la Caméra d’or au Festival de Cannes 2025 et candidat aux Oscars 2026, ce premier long métrage du réalisateur irakien choisit la hauteur d’enfant pour peut-être mieux éviter les pièges du pathos.

The film masterfully avoids sensationalism, portraying the hardships of the era with subtlety and restraint. Director Hassan Hadi focuses on the world of Lamiaa, which, despite the deprivation, is also filled with play, mutual support, and a tenacious sense of innocence. The use of non-professional actors, particularly the remarkable Baneen Ahmad Nayyef as Lamiaa, lends the film a profound authenticity, with raw gestures and eloquent silences that speak volumes.

“

Hassan Hadi évite soigneusement toute tentation misérabiliste. Il filme la pénurie sans insister, la peur sans la surligner.

Visually, the film is stunning, with opening shots capturing the serene beauty of the floating houses amidst the reeds at the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These meditative scenes, filmed with a deliberate slowness, create a timeless atmosphere. Having already won the Golden Camera at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and being an Oscar contender for 2026, "Le Gâteau du Président" is a testament to Iraqi cinema's growing prominence and its ability to tell powerful stories on a global stage.

“

Le recours à des acteurs non professionnels, comme la remarquable Baneen Ahmad Nayyef (dans le rôle de Lamiaa), confère au film une belle authenticité, les gestes sont bruts, les silences éloquents et les regards chargés d’une vérité que la mise en scène accompagne sans jamais la contraindre.