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00:00Hello, I'm Melanie Goodfellow, Senior International Film Correspondent at Deadline Hollywood.
00:04I'm here with the President's Cake from Iraq and Sony Pictures Classics.
00:08It's a powerful drama about a young girl called Lamya who was growing up in a marshland community
00:13with her grandmother in Saddam Hussein's Iraq of the 1990s. The population is suffering from
00:19food shortages due to UN sanctions which were imposed in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
00:24in 1990. Rural communities like that of Lamya are particularly hard hit and her life becomes even
00:31tougher when she's picked to bake a cake to celebrate Saddam Hussein's birthday. The challenge
00:37of sourcing the ingredients sends Lamya and her aging grandmother Bibi on a trip to Baghdad. It
00:43gives me great pleasure to be here with the director Hassan Hadi and before we go into the conversation
00:49let's watch a clip.
01:19Let's watch a clip.
01:29Hey, what's going on?
01:31Hey, I'm a little bird.
01:34Hey, I'm a little bird.
01:36Hey, I'm a little bird.
01:38Yeah, I'm a little bird.
01:43And on the contrary, what the heck does it seem like?
01:46so that's a lovely clip of the two
02:16children and sharing their complicity
02:18that's Lamia's friend Saeed who she
02:20ends up meeting up with in Baghdad
02:22you were raised in Iraq and I think you spent
02:24like four years in the US
02:25finishing your film studies but you're back there
02:28now, you're in LA at the moment
02:30but that's where you live generally
02:31I was just wondering what was
02:34the starting point for this story, is this something you
02:36live, do you know that community
02:38that lives in the marshlands?
02:39The inspiration for the story came from
02:41my childhood memories, I lived
02:43nearby this area, I was
02:45born on base in
02:47Iraq but I was born in the south
02:49of Babylon and I remember
02:51the first trip we had to
02:53this area was
02:54magnificent
02:56you go there and you feel like you're
02:59in a heaven, especially at the time
03:01the marshes were still very much
03:03part of the ecosystem that was
03:05abundant with the wildlife
03:07birds, animals and all that
03:09but at the time
03:10also it was at the time that
03:13the regime started to salt the water
03:15and block out the water
03:17so at the end
03:19by 1996
03:20something like that
03:21the marshes completely
03:23disappeared
03:23so it came back in
03:252004 after the
03:27fall of the regime but still
03:28it's not as it was
03:29as it used to be
03:30and the story is
03:33inspired by my
03:34childhood memories
03:35we used to have a teacher
03:36who comes with a ball
03:38that we need to
03:39throw our names in
03:40and you know
03:41big students that need to bring
03:42the birthday cake
03:43and other things
03:44so I for example
03:45was picked one day
03:46for flower
03:48and bringing flowers
03:49so that was not
03:50really a big deal
03:51because like
03:52the teachers usually
03:54didn't really care
03:55about the flowers
03:55it's not edible
03:56but they really cared
03:58about the cake
03:58and it was a loss
04:01of responsibility
04:01and I remember
04:02one of my friends
04:03got picked for
04:04for bringing this birthday cake
04:06and he failed
04:07and then he got
04:09expelled from the school
04:10and he got recruited
04:11to the Saddam's
04:11children army
04:12and his destiny
04:13completely changed
04:14so that really
04:17haunted me
04:18as I was
04:19even like you know
04:20even in my adulthood
04:21I was like thinking
04:22about what it was
04:23me
04:23what if I was
04:24you know
04:24I got expelled
04:25what if that destiny
04:26happened to me
04:27because it's a matter
04:28of lottery
04:29it is a matter
04:29of like chance
04:31so you know
04:33it was a part
04:34of like childhood
04:35memories
04:35and me
04:37as an adult
04:37questioning
04:38and reflecting
04:39about those
04:41experiences
04:43you know
04:44raising questions
04:45like what is moral
04:46and immoral
04:48when facing injustice
04:49what does
04:49does our silence
04:51incriminate us
04:52when facing injustice
04:53like all these questions
04:54and meaning
04:56my childhood memories
04:57sort of
04:58give birth
04:59to this story
05:00that does put it
05:01into perspective
05:01because I mean
05:02I guess a lot of people
05:03watching this
05:04will have had to
05:04take cakes
05:05into school
05:05because it's part
05:06of like tradition
05:07you know
05:07when your kids
05:08are at school
05:08but not with
05:09such kind of
05:10dire tragic
05:11consequences
05:12so
05:12but in the film
05:15like what's
05:15what's happening
05:16and the cruelty
05:17the children
05:18have to overcome
05:18and they're
05:19very resourceful
05:20it's essentially
05:22tragic
05:22what's happening
05:23to them
05:23but you
05:24have like
05:24trod this very
05:25fine line
05:26making it light
05:27and comedic
05:28at the same time
05:29how did you just
05:30come up with
05:30that kind of balance
05:31was that there
05:32from the very beginning
05:33I think it was like
05:34in the writing
05:34from the beginning
05:35and I was thinking
05:36like that
05:37you know
05:38being living
05:39under dictatorship
05:40I think people
05:40really develop
05:41a sense of dark humor
05:42because that's the only tool
05:44for their survival
05:45and not to fall into
05:46the trap of like
05:47you know
05:47being politically present
05:49or tortured
05:49so that the dark humor
05:51becomes something
05:51like in a way
05:53the only silver
05:53silver lining
05:54you can have
05:55in dictatorship
05:56so but like
05:58you know
05:59when you have
05:59you have it
06:00on the paper
06:00but it doesn't
06:01necessarily mean
06:02that you can't
06:03depict it on the screen
06:04so you will
06:04lots of that
06:05still depended
06:06on the casting
06:07on the characters
06:08and on the
06:08photography of
06:09the situation
06:10and the scene
06:11so like
06:11you know
06:12we were very much
06:13aware that
06:14we need to
06:14understand
06:15the thin line
06:16between
06:16seriousness
06:17drama
06:18and the humor
06:19that the film
06:20can contain
06:20and just very briefly
06:21you know
06:23as I said
06:23at the beginning
06:23you were studying
06:24in the US
06:25and I just was wondering
06:26what was the trajectory
06:27of this project
06:28did you
06:29arrive at film school
06:31with this film
06:32already in your
06:33in your head
06:33or was it something
06:35you developed
06:35through your studies
06:36and how did
06:36what were the different
06:37stages of getting
06:38it over the line
06:39I mean there are
06:41stories that
06:41you know
06:42you just know
06:43you want to tell
06:43and this was a story
06:44I knew I wanted to tell
06:45from early on
06:46but you know
06:47I felt like I needed
06:48to because
06:49in Iraq
06:50we lack
06:51any kind of foundation
06:52for cinema
06:53and cinema studies
06:54so I knew
06:55that I needed
06:55to learn more
06:56it wasn't like
06:57I didn't grow up
06:58where I could just
06:59visit sets
07:00or something like that
07:01so I knew
07:01I needed education
07:02I needed less
07:03of you know
07:04hunting my craft
07:06so NYU
07:07I joined NYU
07:07for my graduate studies
07:09and there I you know
07:11I hunt my craft
07:12and I started to know
07:13as a filmmaker
07:14what kind of tools
07:15I can use
07:16to make a film
07:16and that's where
07:18you know
07:18I started writing the film
07:20and you know
07:21applied for Sundance Labs
07:22which was a very
07:24pivotal moment
07:24for the whole journey
07:25of the film
07:26and yeah
07:27after that
07:28I just returned to Iraq
07:29and saw the pre-production
07:30for the film
07:31As you said before
07:32the atmosphere
07:34on the screen
07:35and like
07:36this sort of mix
07:39of tragedy
07:39and lightness
07:40and comedy
07:41very much relies
07:42on the cast
07:42and the cast
07:44are amazing
07:44so could you
07:45kind of tell me
07:46how you found
07:47the actress
07:48and the actor
07:48who found
07:48Lamia and Seyyid
07:50they're brilliant together
07:51and the grandmother
07:52is amazing
07:53her face
07:54is just
07:54you know
07:56extraordinary
07:56I mean
07:57all of our cast
07:58were non-actors
07:59and we
08:00I knew
08:01I was
08:01I knew that
08:02that we're gonna
08:03have to work
08:04with non-actors
08:04from very early on
08:06when I started
08:06writing the script
08:07because again
08:08we like so many
08:09foundations
08:09to you know
08:11to have that kind
08:11acting experiences
08:14that is required
08:15for this film
08:16so it was really
08:17me and a bunch
08:19of friends
08:19walking
08:20grooming down
08:20streets
08:21looking for people
08:22kids
08:22which you know
08:23sometimes can be
08:24a bit strange
08:25but like you know
08:25you're looking
08:26for someone
08:27who can be
08:28interesting
08:28who can handle
08:29a camera
08:30who can handle
08:30you know
08:31a script
08:32that kind of situation
08:33so it was less
08:34of you know
08:34I would say
08:36we had a big
08:38margin of gamble
08:39but like
08:40I think it was
08:41a gamble
08:41that at the end
08:42was very much
08:43rewarding
08:44for example
08:45Benin
08:45then the girl
08:47was like
08:47the last character
08:48who cast it
08:49in the film
08:49and it was like
08:51just a few weeks
08:53or a few weeks
08:54before the production
08:55and you know
08:57I got this video
08:58of her
08:59like 30 seconds
08:59video
09:00she says her name
09:01and all that
09:02and then
09:02I called the parents
09:04who were not
09:05very much
09:05you know
09:06who opposed
09:06actually
09:07to have their
09:07daughter
09:08depicted on the screen
09:09so we had to make
09:10to have a conversation
09:12with them
09:12to explain to them
09:13the situation
09:14to you know
09:15to understand
09:15what we are trying
09:16to achieve here
09:17and then later
09:18they became very much
09:19you know
09:19supportive
09:20but like
09:20you know
09:21in the beginning
09:22we had this
09:23when you work
09:25with non-actors
09:26and especially
09:26children
09:27especially female
09:28characters
09:28you face
09:29this kind of
09:30obstacles
09:30that usually
09:31you don't have to
09:32in other regions
09:34and other parts
09:35of the world
09:36and the lady
09:36who plays
09:37Bibi
09:37the grandmother
09:38it's also
09:40through a friend
09:40we found her face
09:42very interesting
09:42I spoke to her
09:44and you know
09:45I thought like
09:46she will be the person
09:47that can handle
09:47this kind of characters
09:48and because
09:50she's very much
09:51unaware of cameras
09:52and she was
09:53reacting to reality
09:54so all of these
09:55actors were reacting
09:57to the real situation
09:58for example
09:59with our kids
10:00we did a workshop
10:01but like the workshop
10:02we never did
10:03acting ourselves
10:04what we did
10:06is just to get
10:07to know each other
10:08and then to get
10:09to know each other
10:11and also to build
10:12a trusting bond
10:13between each other
10:14and so that way
10:16I can understand them more
10:17and I can adapt
10:18the script more to them
10:19and I understand
10:20what is the vulnerability
10:21what is the tools
10:22because they haven't
10:24developed tools
10:24that like usually
10:25professional actors
10:26can access
10:27so it was really
10:28less of this
10:29less of this
10:30dependent on
10:31making sure
10:32that they feel
10:33everything is real
10:34for them
10:34but like you know
10:35we did that kind
10:36of exercises
10:37that I could
10:38understand
10:38what is
10:39emotional for her
10:41what is vulnerable
10:41for her
10:42what is that
10:42and you know
10:43you sort of
10:44create this
10:45by the way
10:46sometimes you need
10:47to create this
10:47not only on the screen
10:48you also need
10:49to make sure
10:50that behind the screen
10:51the same thing
10:52happens
10:53you know what I mean
10:54because it's like
10:55for non-actors
10:56it needs to really
10:56fully believe
10:57this is
10:58what's happening
10:59could be a real
11:00situation
11:00or at least
11:01convince
11:01you know
11:02like
11:02I at least
11:03feel like
11:03it's authentic
11:04for them
11:05so that was
11:06like one of the
11:07challenges
11:07we faced
11:08and kids
11:09by the way
11:09are very smart
11:10they know
11:11when something
11:11is not true
11:12they know
11:13when something
11:13is not real
11:14and you know
11:16you need to
11:17lots of
11:17you need to
11:19use lots of
11:21tools with that
11:21and so you shot
11:22the whole thing
11:23in Iraq
11:24was it safe
11:25enough to do that
11:26stable enough
11:26to do that
11:27at the moment
11:27we actually
11:28got those
11:29offers
11:29to shoot
11:30the film
11:30outside Iraq
11:31in a place
11:32anywhere
11:34except Iraq
11:35and I was
11:36really
11:36you know
11:37I was like
11:38very much
11:39willing to gamble
11:39that I'm willing
11:40not to shoot
11:41the film
11:41over shooting
11:42this film
11:43in a fake place
11:43because I feel
11:44like you know
11:45stories have
11:46identity
11:47have DNAs
11:48have roots
11:48and this story
11:49was very much
11:50rooted in the
11:50marshes of Iraq
11:51in the south
11:52of Iraq
11:53in Baghdad
11:54in all the cities
11:54the spirit
11:55the texture
11:56everything
11:57it's just
11:58the faces
11:58you know
11:59you cannot
11:59find it
12:00everywhere
12:00we say
12:01the land
12:02has its
12:03stamp
12:03on people
12:04and the stamp
12:05of Iraqi land
12:06is very obvious
12:07when you know
12:08Iraq
12:09but
12:10and I also
12:11wanted to
12:11break this
12:12stigma
12:13about Iraq
12:13yes I know
12:14Iraq is very much
12:15depicted
12:16in like
12:17perceived
12:17in a very
12:18certain way
12:19in people's
12:19minds
12:20so for me
12:21it was very
12:21important to be
12:22like no
12:22I'm not gonna
12:23tell the story
12:24about my own
12:24people
12:25about my own
12:25nation
12:26about my own
12:26country
12:27in a foreign
12:28place
12:28and with
12:28foreign actors
12:29or something
12:29like that
12:30I'm gonna
12:31tell the story
12:31in Iraq
12:32by Iraqi
12:33actors
12:33and also
12:34I'm gonna
12:34use this
12:35as an opportunity
12:36to build
12:38a foundation
12:38for an industry
12:39in cinema
12:40in Iraq
12:40because
12:41for example
12:42once lots
12:43of crew
12:44positions
12:44that we
12:45you know
12:45usually film
12:46requires
12:47didn't exist
12:47in Iraq
12:48so I was
12:49like
12:49at some point
12:51someone needs
12:51to put a
12:52stepping stone
12:53for others
12:54to win
12:54so for me
12:56it was very
12:56important
12:56even sometimes
12:57we really
12:58needed to
12:58bring amazing
13:00foreign crew
13:01to you know
13:02as
13:02helping
13:05had
13:05but I was
13:06very much
13:06over that
13:07I wanted
13:08some
13:08Iraqis
13:09who might
13:10not be
13:11you know
13:11as experienced
13:12but I wanted
13:13them to be
13:14learning
13:14and you know
13:15adapting
13:16and you know
13:16developing
13:17their
13:17skills
13:19skills
13:19so it was
13:20a very
13:20nice
13:21mix
13:21between
13:22you know
13:22what
13:22international
13:23cinema
13:23has
13:24arrived
13:24to
13:24and
13:24what
13:25local
13:25cinema
13:25has
13:26to offer
13:27I was going to ask you a question about the local industry but I think you answered it there
13:31and the film well premiered at Cannes in Directors Fortnight where it won the audience award and then amazingly won the camera door for best first film for all the first films across official selection and all the parallel selections in Cannes and how did you I mean it's you know it's like 35 years since 1990 how did you feel to have that prize it's kind of you know did you ever think it would come to that
13:54never wanted to also think about the film in that sense because you know it could be it could be easily disappointed and heartbroken and you know and I think I didn't want to put the value of the film in the world that it receives but like it was such a thrilling and an honor to receive these awards because especially being the first Iraqi film really you know it's something really really meaningful and honorable for me and it really honestly gives so much hope to even the local industry in the country
14:24so many artists in Iraq send me text messages emails and calls and that they want to also do another film that they also want to tell a story about their childhood that they also want to so that was very important for me but like at the same time I think Mr. Panahi was on the stage during Cannes and he looked at me and he was like I won that award 30 35 years ago and it was really hard and difficult to do another film because everybody had different
14:54expectations and expectations and the responsibility really becomes much bigger but at the end he also said like you just need to continue love and passion and make a film regardless of how good or bad you know people might perceive it so you know it as happy and as thrilling it is but it also brings a lot of responsibility and lots of you know expectations
15:17expectations well I hope you're not going to feel too sort of weighed down by the weight of expectations this is an amazing film and I wish you all the best with the Oscar run and I know it's going to be playing in a bunch of festivals across the MENA region and hopefully into
15:332026 so all the best with the film lovely to talk to you thank you thank you very much thank you for having me
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