The President’s Cake, the first Iraqi film to play at Cannes Film Festival, has won the People’s Choice award in the independent Directors’ Fortnight sidebar.
Launched last year in partnership with the Chantel Akerman Foundation, the award is voted for by the audiences for the Directors’ Fortnight films, and comes with a €7,500 ($8,400) cash prize.
It is the only audience award across the Official Selection and parallel sidebars at Cannes.
The feature debut of writer-director Hasan Hadi, The President’s Cake follows nine-year-old Lamia, who is selected for the intimidating role of baking Saddam Hussein’s birthday cake. She confides in her grandmother, and the pair begin an unorthodox journey to the city.
It is produced by US producer Leah Chen Baker, came through the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra lab this April, and is sold by Films Boutique.
The only other award presented in the section, the Europa Cinemas Label for best European film, was given to Valery Carnoy’s Wild Foxes, selected by a jury of four exhibitors from the Europa Cinemas network.
The Belgian-French co-production will now receive the support of the Europa Cinema Network, including additional promotion and incentives for exhibitors to extend the film’s theatrical run.
Set at a sports boarding school, Wild Foxes follows a talented young boxer who is saved from a fatal accident by his best friend; only for an inexplicable pain to threaten his dreams of greatness.
It is produced by Belgium’s Helicotronc, co-produced with France’s Les Films du Poisson; The Party Film Sales handles sales.
The Cannes Critics’ Week sidebar handed out its prizes on Wednesday; with the Official Selection awards to be distributed at the closing ceremony tomorrow.
Credit: Screendaily
