In a world of scarcity and propaganda, a simple school assignment becomes an epic journey. This is the heart of a poignant new film from Iraqi director Hasan Hadi, which follows a young girl tasked with an impossible mission: baking a birthday cake for her country’s leader.
Set against the backdrop of early-1990s Iraq, under the weight of international sanctions, the story centers on nine-year-old Lamia. After a lottery at school, she is chosen to create a celebratory cake. With basic ingredients like flour and sugar nearly impossible to find, her quest with her grandmother transforms into a revealing tour of a society strained by conflict and deprivation.
Their search through the city’s markets and streets introduces a cast of memorable characters, each coping with the harsh realities of wartime life. From a grocer engaging in dubious trades to a postman whose enthusiasm for confectionery offers a rare moment of levity, the film paints a rich, human tapestry. Lamia is accompanied by a classmate, Saeed, a boy forced into petty theft by circumstance, who is determined to help her secure the necessary fruit.
Throughout the narrative, the ever-present iconography of the state serves as a constant, oppressive reminder of the political climate, intruding upon both mundane and tender moments. The film balances a gentle, observational pace with bursts of urgency, particularly as the children navigate threats from unsavory adults. A subplot involving a passenger who lost his sight in an attack adds a layer of quiet tragedy about love and perception in times of war.
What begins as a charming, almost whimsical adventure steadily builds tension, culminating in a finale where the act of tasting the cake carries unexpected and profound weight. It is a story about resilience, the burdens placed on the innocent, and the small acts of defiance found in pursuing a seemingly ordinary goal under extraordinary pressure.
