IMDb RATING
7.4/10
7.4K
YOUR RATING
Seventy-year-old Mahin, solitary until now, chooses to revive her love life. A chance encounter becomes an unforgettable evening.Seventy-year-old Mahin, solitary until now, chooses to revive her love life. A chance encounter becomes an unforgettable evening.Seventy-year-old Mahin, solitary until now, chooses to revive her love life. A chance encounter becomes an unforgettable evening.
- Directors
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 7 wins & 6 nominations total
Esmaeel Mehrabi
- Faramarz
- (as Esmaeil Mehrabi)
Mansoore Ilkhani
- Puran
- (as Mansoureh Ilkhani)
Saeed Payamipoor
- Old Man in the Restaurant
- (as Saeed Payamipour)
Mehdi Pilevari
- Morality Police
- (as Mehdi Pilehvari)
Mozaffar Esmaeili
- Gardener
- (as Mozafar Esmaeili)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The adage "it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" is well-known, but what about people who have the courage to fall in love again? For a 70-year-old Iranian widow, it's a desperate attempt to feel alive again, but it's a bold move for anyone. That is the idea behind a sweet Iranian love comedy that is infused with surprising radicalism.
Mahin (played by the charming Lili Farhadpour) spends her days doing the same things: sleeping in till midday, rushing to answer FaceTime calls from her daughter who lives abroad, taking care of her garden, and visiting the less-than-local market from her home on the outskirts of Tehran. Each scene is portrayed as a nicely framed vignette by co-directors Maryam Moqadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, despite the setting's banality.
Keep an eye on it-words cannot help it. In a society where everyone is scrutinised and evaluated, genuine love endures forever, and it's simple to find if you look for it! This charming story serves as a reminder.
Mahin (played by the charming Lili Farhadpour) spends her days doing the same things: sleeping in till midday, rushing to answer FaceTime calls from her daughter who lives abroad, taking care of her garden, and visiting the less-than-local market from her home on the outskirts of Tehran. Each scene is portrayed as a nicely framed vignette by co-directors Maryam Moqadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, despite the setting's banality.
Keep an eye on it-words cannot help it. In a society where everyone is scrutinised and evaluated, genuine love endures forever, and it's simple to find if you look for it! This charming story serves as a reminder.
"Mahin" (Lili Farhadpour) is a lonely, widowed, retired nurse who has lived by herself for many years, when she happens to overhear a conversation in the government run pensioner's cafe that points out that taxi driver "Faramarz" (Esmaeel Mehrabi) is also single. She quite quickly determines to track him down and next thing she is in his cab. It's not like she's a cougar nor he a womaniser - they are just two older people who click at the idea of something a bit "extra" at the end of their rain soaked day. The largest bottle of wine you've ever seen is duly produced and, well you can guess what's on the cards. Except? Well you can also guess that things are not going to go to plan either - and we are given a few subtle clues along the way to manage our expectations as this really quite entertainingly mischievous story develops. Farhadpour is really engaging as she charms her new beau and there's a lovely, soft, chemistry between the two as most of the plot unfolds in her house as they take care not to involve the dreaded morality police who might arrive and punish them - even at their advanced age - for being alone in her home together! Indeed, what also helps this work is the gentle way in which it makes some pretty hefty points. About age, assumptions about age - true, but it also takes a broader look at a society that still treats women as less free citizens thanks their testicled counterparts. Most of all thought it's really quite funny and delivers us a message of confidence, shyness, optimism and hope tempered with some dark humour - especially at the end. I'm not quite sure she could have baked the cake in quite the timeline offered, but it did look tasty!
It's a fantastic movie! Showcasing a lot of Persian culture, being a very amusing and charming movie, but also hinting to a lot of political topics.
That we are able to watch that movie is a political act by itself which needs its appreciation. But for a movie being made in Iran under this circumstances is incredible. I have never seen that many scenes on the streets of Iran within a movie. Also all of them beautifully shot. Impressive to see what Iranian directors are pulling of. The storyline itself is brilliant as well as the acting. The cinema we were at was full of Iranians laughing and feeling the movie. The atmosphere was magical. If you are in for a wholesome movie with a dramatic twist, go for it. It's an absolut must watch.
That we are able to watch that movie is a political act by itself which needs its appreciation. But for a movie being made in Iran under this circumstances is incredible. I have never seen that many scenes on the streets of Iran within a movie. Also all of them beautifully shot. Impressive to see what Iranian directors are pulling of. The storyline itself is brilliant as well as the acting. The cinema we were at was full of Iranians laughing and feeling the movie. The atmosphere was magical. If you are in for a wholesome movie with a dramatic twist, go for it. It's an absolut must watch.
Reality movie about iranian women life stiles. Very good to watch and understand the culture of Iranian.
She reminds our real grandmothers Living with their decision but under pressure of country rules which don't make sense for them.
Real home design, real dress up Very good acting The man also was real It's also a comedy movie but more like dark comedy Actually living with stupid rules in that country which many people don't believe them are dark comedy in general I recommend the movie for whom want to see a real picture of persian people in iran
Why a review should be this much long !
My god.
She reminds our real grandmothers Living with their decision but under pressure of country rules which don't make sense for them.
Real home design, real dress up Very good acting The man also was real It's also a comedy movie but more like dark comedy Actually living with stupid rules in that country which many people don't believe them are dark comedy in general I recommend the movie for whom want to see a real picture of persian people in iran
Why a review should be this much long !
My god.
10rowban
This is my one and only review on IMDB.
I went into the cinema reluctantly for this one. Asked by friends to see it just to support our local cinema. I had no expectation and lots of prejudice. I thought this was going to be a Swedish-influenced movie about immigrants.
Instead I got suckerpunched by the sheer depression, the sheer loneliness and the sheer difference in culture this film exudes.
The acting is immensely good. I suspect the actors are more themselves than actually acting. They themselves can relate to the script in very real ways.
The story is the void itself with a glimmer of hope somewhere in the darkness but in the end nothing lasts.
I went into the cinema reluctantly for this one. Asked by friends to see it just to support our local cinema. I had no expectation and lots of prejudice. I thought this was going to be a Swedish-influenced movie about immigrants.
Instead I got suckerpunched by the sheer depression, the sheer loneliness and the sheer difference in culture this film exudes.
The acting is immensely good. I suspect the actors are more themselves than actually acting. They themselves can relate to the script in very real ways.
The story is the void itself with a glimmer of hope somewhere in the darkness but in the end nothing lasts.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDue to the directors not being allowed to leave Iran, the film was represented by the film's lead actors, Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha. Before the screening, the actors brought a statement and a photo of the director couple. The statement were read by Maryam Moghaddam saying:
"We have come to believe that it is no longer possible to tell the story of an Iranian woman while obeying strict laws such as the mandatory hijab. Women for whom the red lines prevent the depiction of their true lives, as full human beings. This time, we decided to cross all of the restrictive red lines, and accept the consequences of our choice to paint a real picture of Iranian women - images that have been banned in Iranian cinema ever since the Islamic Revolution...
My 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 savoring the short, sweet moments in life...
Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly dedicate our premiere screening to the honorable and brave women of our country who have moved to the front lines of the fight for social change, who are attempting to tear down the walls of outdated and fossilized beliefs, and who sacrifice their lives to achieve freedom."
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $2,536,283
- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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