#behtash-sanaeeha — Public Fediverse posts

My Favourite Cake: Bittersweet Tale of Growing Old 🍰

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.

Iranian Cinema Body Says Government Has Hijacked Death Of Slain Filmmaker Javad Ganji Amid Fresh Oppression Of Cinema Community
#News #BehtashSanaeeha #IIFMA #Iran #IranianIndependentFilmmakerAssociation #JafarPanahi #JavadGanji

https://deadline.com/2026/01/iran-cinema-body-govt-hijacked-death-filmmaker-javad-ganji-1236691402/

Tarik Saleh & Memento, Films Boutique & Totem Execs Talk Challenges Of Navigating Censorship & Political Pressure – Les Arcs Industry Village
#Festivals #News #Politics #BehtashSanaeeha #FilmsBoutique #Iran #IranInternational #MaryamMoghadam #MementoDistribution #MohammadRasoulof #TarikSaleh #TheSeedoftheSacredFig #TotemFilms

https://deadline.com/2025/12/tarik-saleh-memento-films-boutique-totem-censorship-arcs-1236653521/

#Iran: Acclaimed Filmmakers Given Suspended Prison Sentences

#MaryamMoghaddam #BehtashSanaeeha

https://eaworldview.com/2025/04/iran-acclaimed-filmmakers-given-suspended-prison-sentences/

#MaryamMoghaddam and #BehtashSanaeeha given 6-year suspended sentences and barred from leaving #Iran

"Crime"? Award-winning My Favorite Cake showed singing, dancing, and women w/o #hijab

#IranHumanRights

#Iran: Acclaimed Filmmakers Given Suspended Prison Sentences

#MaryamMoghaddam #BehtashSanaeeha

https://eaworldview.com/2025/04/iran-acclaimed-filmmakers-given-suspended-prison-sentences/

Iranian ‘My Favourite Cake’ Filmmakers Receive Suspended Jail Sentence & Fines For Showing Actress Without Hijab
#News #BehtashSanaeeha #Iran #MaryamMoghadam #MyFavouriteCake

https://deadline.com/2025/04/iranian-my-favourite-cake-filmmaker-suspended-jail-sentence-1236366313/

Juliette Binoche, Pedro Almodóvar & Mohammad Rasoulof Join 3,000 Signatories Of Petition In Support Of Iranian Filmmakers Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha
#News #BehtashSanaeeha #Iran #JulietteBinoche #MaryamMoghadam #MohammadRasoulof #MyFavouriteCake #PedroAlmodóvar

https://deadline.com/2025/02/juliette-binoche-pedro-almodovar-mohammad-rasoulof-petition-iranian-maryam-moghadam-behtash-sanaeeha-1236305230/

Iranian ‘My Favourite Cake’ Filmmakers Sound Alarm Over Court Summons & Anonymous Death Threats
#Festivals #News #BehtashSanaeeha #Iran #MaryamMoghadam #MyFavouriteCake

https://deadline.com/2025/02/iranian-my-favourite-cake-filmmakers-court-summons-death-threats-1236294523/

‘My Favorite Cake’ Review: This 70-Year-Old Iranian Woman’s Love Story Is A Subversive Delight – Berlin Film Festival
#Festivals #Reviews #BehtashSanaeeha #BerlinFilmFestival #Iran #MaryamMoghaddam

https://deadline.com/2024/02/my-favorite-cake-review-this-70-year-old-iranian-woman-love-story-is-a-subversive-delight-berlin-film-festival-1235832286/

‘My Favourite Cake’ Review: A Romantic Confection That Rises Sweetly, Until It Crumbles
#Variety #Reviews #BehtashSanaeeha #BerlinFilmFestival #MaryamMoghaddam #MyFavouriteCake

https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/my-favourite-cake-review-1235913605/

Travel-Banned Iranian Directors Dedicate ‘My Favourite Cake’ Berlin Premiere To Women At Forefront Of Woman Life Freedom Fight
#Festivals #BehtashSanaeeha #BerlinFilmFestival #Berlinale #EFM #Iran #Iranprotests #MyFavouriteCake #WomanLifeFreedom

https://deadline.com/2024/02/iranian-directors-dedicate-my-favourite-cake-berlin-women-at-forefront-of-woman-life-1235828045/

Berlin Competition Title ‘My Favourite Cake,’ Panorama Opening Film ‘Crossing’ Close Slew of Deals for Totem Films (EXCLUSIVE)
#Variety #Global #News #BehtashSanaeeha #BerlinFilmFestival #LevanAkin #MaryamMoghaddam #TotemFilms

https://variety.com/2024/film/global/berlin-my-favourite-cake-crossing-totem-1235907671/

Berlinale Makes Appeal For Iranian 2024 Golden Bear Contenders Maryam Moghaddam & Behtash Sanaeeha As They Barred From Travel
#Festivals #News #BehtashSanaeeha #Berlinale #Iran #MaryamMoghaddam #MyFavouriteCake

https://deadline.com/2024/02/berlinale-appeal-iranian-fllmmakers-maryam-moghaddam-behtash-sanaeeha-1235810748/

Berlin Competition Title ‘My Favourite Cake,’ by Iran’s Maryam Moghaddam, Behtash Sanaeeha, Boarded by Totem Films (EXCLUSIVE)
#Variety #Global #News #BehtashSanaeeha #BerlinFilmFestival #MaryamMoghaddam #TotemFilms

https://variety.com/2024/film/global/berlin-my-favourite-cake-maryam-moghaddam-behtash-sanaeeha-totem-films-1235885563/

Film Orgs Petition Iranian Authorities To Lift Charges Against Directors Maryam Moghadam & Behtash Sanaeeha
#Culture #Festivals #News #BehtashSanaeeha #MaryamMoghadam

https://deadline.com/2023/12/film-orgs-petition-iranian-authorities-maryam-moghadam-behtash-sanaeeha-1235678507/