PARIS, France — For Iraqis who lived through the 1990s, dictator Saddam Hussein's birthday on April 28 was a disorientating day of celebration and propaganda. "It makes you lie, it makes you a hypocrite, it makes you deceitful and it lasts long after it's gone." With "The President's Cake," Hadi hopes to deliver a timely reminder to his country, where Saddam's rule "hasn't been explored enough." Once a thriving producer of films, Iraqi cinema is still struggling to recover from the chaos the country has endured over the last two decades. "I hope people will be more receptive to Iraqi films in coming years," said Hadi.

Source: Philippine Star February 08, 2026 07:12 UTC