Authenticity: The "My Favourite Cake" Film Review

The "My Favourite Cake" film, directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Moghaddam, was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and won two awards: the Ecumenical Jury Award and the FIPRESCI Prize. It also took home the Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival.

You might know Behtash Sanaeiha better from his "Risk of Acid Rain" film, his first collaboration with his wife, Maryam Moghaddam, who also starred in the film. These two young filmmakers concluded their filmmaking journey in Iran with The "My Favourite Cake" film.

The daring The "My Favourite Cake" film was made in Iran under a relaxed hijab policy, and for this reason, many critics affiliated with the iran governments either didn’t review the film or criticized it negatively. Beyond the bravery of the filmmakers, the film's well-paced rhythm, authenticity, and strong performances from Lili Farhadpour and Esmaeel Mehrabi make it one of the most successful films made after the 1979 Revolution.

The story of The "My Favourite Cake" film is about a lonely woman who wants to break the silence of her solitary life and experience a shared life again. The film begins with Mahin in solitary frames, showing her isolation. Throughout the movie, we mostly see her alone, even in the final frames. The loneliness is only broken when Faramarz enters her world, turning the frames from solitary to shared. This authenticity makes the "My Favourite Cake" film stand out, as it is clear and transparent in portraying loneliness. Even when Mahin talks to her daughter, we can clearly feel her loneliness. Mahin is lonely, even among her friends.

The rhythm of the "My Favourite Cake" film was slow, but it wasn’t irritating. In fact, the movie's strength lies in its correct pacing. It could have even been slower, as some scenes didn’t add much to the plot. For instance, the scene where Mahin intervenes with the moral police to help a girl escape was unnecessary. The "My Favourite Cake" film's message was clear enough without that scene. The "My Favourite Cake" film is so simple that there’s no need for extra details.

Lili Farhadpour and Esmaeel Mehrabi's performances were outstanding in The "My Favourite Cake" film. Farhadpour completely embodied Mahin, and we hardly remembered we were watching an actress. This is the strength of her acting, and she has a long history in cinema, having appeared in films like "Suddenly a Tree" and "The Possibility of Mina". Esmaeel Mehrabi, a well-known actor from "Green House" and other major roles, fit perfectly into the role of Faramarz. There were no over-the-top performances; everything felt grounded and true. Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Moghaddam did a wonderful job preserving the film's authenticity.

Why do I say the "My Favourite Cake" film has authenticity? Because it speaks the truth. It doesn’t pretend, it doesn’t lie; it talks about loneliness. Its frames are real, its life feels real, and even the music and dances feel real. I wanted to dance with the music just like Mahin and Faramarz. It had authenticity because it felt true.

However, the ending of the "My Favourite Cake" film was a bit shocking cinematically but predictable in terms of the storyline. At the end, we realize that Faramarz might have had a stroke due to the interaction of alcohol and Viagra. Until recently, I thought Viagra interacted with alcohol, but after some research, I discovered they don’t interfere with each other. However, Viagra alone can cause a stroke due to raising blood pressure and increasing heart rate. For a man in his seventies, this could result in unpleasant outcomes.

The "My Favourite Cake" film is truly about the cake Mahin loved, a cake eventually eaten by someone she Loved about. The scene where Mahin places the cake in Faramarz's lifeless mouth was a powerful cinematic moment, embodying the truth of the situation: loneliness can’t be escaped. In the end, Mahin finds herself alone again. However, the filmmakers’ decision to add a bit of symbolism at the end seemed a bit out of place. If you recall, Faramarz said he would bring a flower for her to plant in the garden, but instead, he himself was buried there. I love symbolism and semiotics, but in a film that is purely realistic, I expect nothing but realism. It would have been better if the final shot showed Mahin lying beside Faramarz's lifeless body, leaving the viewer to decide how to cope with the truth.

In the end, The "My Favourite Cake" is a film I respect and deeply appreciate. With great respect for the filmmakers, I give it a 6 out of 10.

Shayan Iroomloo Tabrizi