Sony Pictures Classics Acquires 2025 Directors’ Fortnight People’s Choice Winner, “The President’s Cake”
The Caméra d’Or winner is the first Iraqi film to be honored at the Cannes Film Festival
Sony Pictures Classics announced that they have acquired all rights in North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, South East Asia and India to Directors’ Fortnight People’s Choice Award and Caméra d’Or winner, THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE. The feature debut from Hasan Hadi has been praised by audiences and critics alike at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE, written and directed by Hadi, is produced by Leah Chen Baker with executive producers including award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (FORREST GUMP) and director Marielle Heller (NIGHTBITCH, BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD). The film is made in association with Missing Piece Films, Working Barn Productions, Maiden Voyage Pictures and Spark Features.
While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, the President requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates. The young girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients and prepare the mandatory cake in THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE.
“Winning the Camera d’Or in a year with so many formidable directorial debuts and winning the Audience Award in the Directors’ Fortnight, Hasan Hadi’s THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE is the surprise hit of this year’s festival. In the tradition of major Cannes discoveries, these ovations and critical acclaim mark the beginning of a fresh voice destined to thrill audiences everywhere,” stated Sony Pictures Classics.
[p"Since childhood, Sony Pictures Classics has been the go-to name for quality cinema and original storytelling. It’s a dream come true—and a true honor—to now be part of that legacy. Their incredible history of championing international films and commitment to theatrical releases makes them the perfect home for THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE,” added Hadi. [/p]The film was negotiated between UTA Independent Film Group, WME Independent and Sony Pictures Classics. Films Boutique represents international sales. Hadi is repped by UTA and Jonathan Gardner.
The Sundance Film Institute and Doha Film Institute are among the many supporters of the film.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992—which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 42 Academy Awards® (38 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 190 Academy Award® nominations (164 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for I’M STILL HERE, THE FATHER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services. http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.
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