Totem Films, a company in Paris known for its arthouse films like Compartment No. 6 and Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, is now handling the sales for a new movie titled My Favourite Cake. This film was created by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, an Iranian pair who write and direct movies together. Their latest work has been selected to compete at the upcoming Berlinale Film Festival.
In “My Favourite Cake,” Lily Farhadpour debuts as the character Mahin and the well-known Iranian actor Esmail Mehrabi plays Faramarz. The story revolves around Mahin, a 70-year-old woman living alone. She decides to step out of her usual life to find love again. This journey leads her to an unexpected and memorable night.
The directors, Moghaddam and Sanaeeha, shared that the movie reflects the real-life experiences of middle-class women in Iran. It’s a story filled with hope, joy, and the peculiar nature of life and death.
This isn’t the first time Moghaddam and Sanaeeha’s work has been featured at the Berlinale. Their previous film, “Ballad of a White Cow,” was also in the competition at the 2021 Berlinale. Totem Films, which managed the sales of that movie to over 40 distributors worldwide, is collaborating with them again. “Ballad of a White Cow” was popular at the festival, almost winning the Audience Award and receiving the most votes among non-German films.
Iranian cinema has been prominent at the Berlinale, especially in its competition section. Movies like “A Separation, Taxi, and There Is No Evil by Iranian directors have won the top prize, the Golden Bear, in recent years. Iran has been more successful in winning this award in the last 15 years than any other country.
Maryam Moghaddam, born in Tehran, is an actress, writer, and director who studied at the Performing Arts School in Gothenburg, Sweden. She has acted in Swedish theaters and in Iranian movies, including “Closed Curtain,” which won a Silver Bear at the Berlinale.
Berlin Competition Title ‘My Favourite Cake,' by Iran's Maryam Moghaddam, Behtash Sanaeeha, Boarded by Totem Films (EXCLUSIVE)https://t.co/xZR9iIQWbT
— MSN (@MSN) January 24, 2024
Behtash Sanaeeha, born in Shiraz, started in architecture and then moved to writing and directing. His first feature film, Risk of Acid Rain, was shown at over 30 international festivals. He and Moghaddam first worked together on this film, and “My Favourite Cake” is their third joint project.
My Favourite Cake is produced by several international companies and supported by various film institutes and funds.
Additionally, Totem Films is presenting another movie, Crossing by Levan Akin, at the European Film Market. Akin’s previous film, And Then We Danced, gained significant attention after being shown at Cannes in 2019. Source
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