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.
Screening as part of our ongoing monthly series, Found in Translation: Contemporary World Cinema