They Said This Movie Did Everything You’re Not Supposed To—Then 'The President’s Cake' Won Cannes

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Hasan Hadi and producer Leah Chen Baker about the development, financing, production, and release journey behind The President’s Cake.

The conversation traces the film from NYU and COVID-era writing sessions through the Sundance Labs, the challenge of building an aggressively independent financing plan, shooting on location in Iraq with non-professional actors, and the impact of winning both the Caméra d’Or and the Audience Award at Cannes.

In this episode, we****discuss:

• How Hasan and Leah’s collaboration began at NYU and grew through shorts, writing check-ins, and shared creative sensibilities
• Why film school was essential for Hasan as a filmmaker coming from a country with limited cinema infrastructure
• Developing The President’s Cake before applying to the Sundance Labs
• How the Sundance Screenwriting, Directing, Producers Lab, and Catalyst Forum helped build confidence around the project
• Leading with the film’s “risky” elements: a first feature, non-professional actors, no rehearsals, a period setting, and shooting in Iraq
• Building a financing plan through micro grants, institutional support, small stakeholders, and equity partners
• Why filming in Iraq was non-negotiable for the story’s authenticity
• Creating an international crew while ensuring every department included Iraqi local crew
• The realities of shooting with limited infrastructure and a long production schedule
• What changed after the film won at Cannes
• How Iraqi and international audiences have responded to the film
• The importance of setting an endpoint for one project so the next one can begin

Guests:

• Hasan Hadi
• Leah Chen Baker

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