Interview With "The President's Cake" Filmmaker Hasan Hadi

The Next Best Picture Podcast

Tv & Film

4.2 • 542 Ratings

🗓️ 7 February 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"The President's Cake" is a drama film written and directed by Hasan Hadi, starring Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat and Rahim AlHaj. The film had its world premiere at the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section's Audience Award and the Caméra d'Or. It was selected as the Iraqi entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, making the December shortlist. Hadi was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Sony Pictures Classics. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Another party invite?
0:03.0	Well, here's a way to make their big day feel even more special.
0:07.0	Create an unforgettable birthday with Etsy with original finds just for them.
0:11.0	Like, a handmade leather camera strap to celebrate your photography-obsessed friend,
0:15.0	or maybe a custom top for that Pisces in your life.
0:18.0	From the personalised to the practical, we've got you covered with millions of active listings to choose from.
0:24.3	Birthdays don't celebrate themselves.
0:26.3	Shop at Etsy.com and discover your perfect find today.
0:30.2	At Betway, you have the power to take a break whenever you like.
0:33.5	Stay on top of your game with Betway's safer gambling tools.
0:36.6	Betway offers a range of safer gambling tools to help you out,
0:39.6	and always bet the responsible way.
0:41.6	18 plus gamblerware.org.
0:45.0	You are listening to The Next Best Picture Podcast,
0:48.2	and this is my interview of the director and writer for the president's cake, Hassan Hadi.
0:53.5	I'm a must my gosh tea.
0:55.0	The President's
0:57.0	The President,
1:01.0	he'll be,
1:02.0	to get the cake of this
1:04.0	her,
1:05.0	will be Lamieha,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Next Best Picture Podcast, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Next Best Picture Podcast and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.