THEMOVIES

Director Hadi says much of the story is inspired by his own childhood memories. Set in Iraq in the 1990s, with a cast of all first-time actors, the film takes the perspective of 9-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who is unlucky enough to be chosen and must bake a cake in celebration of Saddam Hussein's birthday. Despite the severe sanctions, a society abused internally by an autocratic leader and the consequent shortage of every single cake-making ingredient, Lamia, her grandmother Bibi (Waheed Thabet Khreibat) and her pet rooster-sidekick, Hindi, set off into town on a desperate shopping expedition. On the road, Lamia's pickpocket pal, Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem), joins in. An absurd odyssey through waterways, markets, vivid characters and shadowy alleys. A story about courage, quiet resistance and perseverance against imposed starvation and brutality, that resonates in a world where authoritarian leaders are on the rise.