My Favourite Cake (کیک محبوب م) is an intriguing Iranian film, co-written and directed by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha. It’s a film for older generations, made by people from a younger generation.
It follows the life of 70-year-old Mahinn (Lily Farhadpour) who lives in Tehran. In a bittersweet brief burst of fun, she meets a man who makes her feel alive again and the story goes from there.
Themes of Joy and Oppression in My Favourite Cake
There’s a simple plot here that plays out over 97 minutes. In a nation where women’s rights are restricted, and widowed for 30 years, Mahin decides to live out a few desires in her old age.
She’s inspired after seeing an incident where police officers arrest some young women due to their dress sense and hair.
She then meets up with some friends for a tea party, which inspires her to go off and have a bit of fun. She heads out into Tehran and meets mild-mannered taxi driver Faramarz (Esmail Mehrabi).
Although nervous, she invites him back to her home and they have a few drinks and spend an evening discussing the past.
Tipsy and having a laugh, they put on some banging beats and indulge in a rave. In a scene that highlights the quietly subversive nature of the film, alongside its good natured lust for life.
What happens next we won’t mention as it’s a big spoiler. But My Favourite Cake is, ultimately, a bittersweet tale of sadness, loss, and finding happiness in occasional moments.
Its sedate pace and message is suited more for older viewers, as it doesn’t offer an edgy or punchy take on ageing. It’s more an acceptance of the realities with comedic flourishes and those sad moments, too. Great viewing, then, and we think many people would learn a great deal from it.
The Production of My Favourite Cake
Unfortunately, the Iranian government took action against the directors from September 2023 onward. This included having their passports confiscated, being threatened with criminal charges, and their homes being raided.
This meant the directors couldn’t travel to some events to promote their film. Including at its premier at the Berlin International Film Festival. Unfortunately, this has continued through to December 2024 with the directors placed on trial for making a “vulgar” movie. Just ridiculous given the film’s sweet-natured themes.
The two lead actors were able to attend the film’s premiere, with Lily Farhadpour noting:
“Favourite Cake is a film made in praise of life. This is a story based on the reality of the everyday lives of middle-class women in Iran, a close look at a woman’s solitude as she enters her golden years. A vision of the reality of women’s lives which has not often been told. It is a story that is contrary to the common image of Iranian women, and similar to the life stories of many lonely people on this planet, about savouring the short, sweet moments in life.”
The film met with critical acclaim and won a bunch of European film festival awards, including the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlin Film Festival.
