June 11, 2026 7:30 pm | Iran | 2024 | 97m | Cert 12 | Comedy, Drama
A beautifully delicate and nuanced concoction of a film, My Favourite Cake, co-written and directed by Iranian filmmakers Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, explores themes of love, regret and second chances with nuance and grace. It’s set against the backdrop of a country with strict rules and restrictions, especially when it comes to the rights and freedoms of women.
The film follows 70-year-old Mahin (Lily Farhadpour), who has been living alone in Tehran for decades since her husband died and her daughter left for Europe. One afternoon, tea with friends leads her to reassess her life and choices; she decides to break her solitary routine and revitalise her love life. On a chance outing, where she witnesses an encounter between a woman and the morality police and decides to intervene, she comes across a lonely taxi driver called Esmail (Esmail Mehrabi). A newfound determination and confidence propels her to approach him, and she invites him over to her house in a bid for connection. What follows is an unpredictable, unforgettable evening.
The film is a moving meditation on love, loss, loneliness and ageing, and the courage to open oneself up to new experiences and connections. Though incredibly endearing, the film also reflects on the impact of oppression and intolerance, and the changing tides of a country that no longer allows space for people – particularly women – like Mahin to express themselves freely.
… even in the context of an “autumnal” love, the film breaks away from demagogic and complacent resolutions to become a picture that is at times uncomfortable, yet at others endearing, with consistently lovable protagonists