Life is Too Short for Just One Slice
Written by Tira (Kru’23)
A slice of cinematic brilliance, My Favorite Cake, directed by Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaiha, made its grand debut at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). It blew people away and won the FIPRESCI Award. How strange yet familiar this movie feels. Honestly, I didn’t know at first that this movie reflects Iranian cinema after the Islamic Republic took over. The guts the directors and crew had to make this deserve so much respect. And knowing it’s banned in a bunch of countries, I feel super lucky I got to watch it in JAFF. This movie is for you who want a slice of a light yet unique story, and the clichés are an additional touch — very cheesy.
This movie tells the story of Mahin, who has lived alone in Tehran since her husband’s death. Her daughter lived in Europe to be with her husband. Once a year, Mahin and her friends had afternoon tea to catch up with their lives. It leads her to break her routine and decide to free herself from the prison of loneliness and find a companion. Until she met Faramarz, someone who made her feel alive again, and in one night it brought unpredictable surprises and memories.
The film opens with a gloomy atmosphere filled with emptiness. In the first scene, the living room window is left slightly open, and Mahin, alone, is eating her cold breakfast. The sunlight pours into the open courtyard with great intensity, where Mahin tends her garden filled with flowers and plants. Then sometimes she watches TV until she falls asleep or calls her daughter who is busy with her own life. Her daily life is the same.
I can’t help but smile watching Mahin, this old woman, acting like a teenager again — doing all these playful, over-the-top things that feel so out of character for someone her age. It’s silly, sure, but, we might think that what is the strong reason for Mahin doing this, perhaps because she is lonely? Or maybe she just wants to step out of her comfort zone. Like the motivation from Mahin doing all those things isn’t shown. But throughout the film, it might be answered that she wants to find another intention besides the daily routine and the same habits as in the past. The meeting with Faramaz frees her from that, even if only for one night. But that night is everything.
I can say this movie is a great one, though I never watched any movies from Iran before. By watching this, this movie offers a fresh perspective on Iran, showing a side of normal life there that is rarely depicted, despite the strict laws we are aware of. Little did I know this movie is kinda banned in Iran because of the controversial portrayal, like alcohol consumption and hijab-free women, but we’re not gonna talk about that. I think this movie screams about “transformation” and it’s highlighted through the use of color, especially shades of green. Green, which stands for growth, harmony, fertility, and freshness pops up everywhere — from Mahin’s garden to her cabinets, clothes, and even her eyeliner when she went out. Blue, like what Faramarz wears, symbolizes fear — specifically, the fear of ending up alone. The cinematography is impressive, skillfully capturing the emotional shifts throughout the film. The warmth radiates beautifully in certain scenes, while the stark coldness hits powerfully during ‘that’ pivotal moment. Despite the contrast, it all comes together seamlessly, creating a cohesive and visually striking experience.
Everyone thought this movie was just another old people’s love story, cliché and slow-paced, but it’s more than that. This movie has a natural and engaging vibe, with conversations that are humorous and cheesy, and it also portrays the spark of connection between these two characters, their attraction to each other, and the blazing of a romantic feeling within them. This love is like a fire under the ashes that slowly flares up and captivates the audience. For this reason, this chapter can be called the “favorite cake” of the audiences of the film. This movie is executed well, with an ending that hits hard. While the conclusion may be predictable based on the narrative, it doesn’t take away from the emotional impact. You want to stay optimistic, hoping for something better, but in the end, it’s still the harsh reality that unfolds. Even though you see it coming, the heartbreak is unavoidable.
Although in the scenes toward the end of the film, Faramarz did not have the time to enjoy Mahin’s “favorite cake,” the end of this film cannot be called bitter, dark, or tragic, you name it. It will only make Mahin realize that, despite the overwhelming grief of his death, it is through this loss that she can finally break free from the emotional shackles of her past. His death, rather than marking the end of her happiness, sparks a transformation within her, a turning point where she begins to confront the isolation and routines that once confined her. In the final moments, as she steps away from the life she knew, Mahin finds herself on the brink of a new beginning — one that, though born from heartache, offers a chance at personal freedom and life no longer bound by the chains of the past.
