France: Some movies leave you with a bittersweet ache beautiful yet pathetic. ‘My Favourite Cake’ was one of those for me. Hours after watching it, its sadness still clings to me, making it hard to focus. Maybe it's the winter blues, but the resolution struck deep, pulling me into an intense melancholy.
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| poster by My Favourite Cake |
Watching the exposition
wasn’t all bleak, but a subtle sadness lingered. The protagonist, Mahin (Lili
Farhadpour), is a 70-year-old widow living alone while her children are in
Europe. Struggling with severe sleep issues, she wakes at noon after sleeping
at odd hours. Her day begins with tea and a cigarette.
Afterwards, Mahin waters her
lush, green yard on a bright, sunny day. Birds chirp, and the scene exudes
warmth and happiness. Directors Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha masterfully
use visual storytelling, with warm, natural lighting highlighting joyful
moments and cold, muted tones reflecting Mahin’s loneliness and inner turmoil.
As the story unfolds, the
mood shifts, deepening the sense of Mahin's solitude. Her once-monthly girls’
dinner now happens yearly, and conversations revolve around ageing, illnesses,
and men. Sensing Mahin's loneliness, her friends suggest she find an (old)
boyfriend to keep her company.
Deep down, Mahin longs for
someone to share life’s simplicities with—an (old) boyfriend to fill her heart
and home’s emptiness. She dreams of having someone to talk to while cooking,
someone she could love and cherish.
The film subtly reveals her
inner vulnerabilities. Her longing for companionship is portrayed with great
sensitivity. She doesn’t explicitly state her desires but conveys them through
fleeting expressions—a wistful glance at an empty chair, pausing while setting
the table for one, or the deliberate care she puts into baking her favourite
orange blossom cake.
She begins frequenting coffee
shops and parks, engaging with the world around her in ways she hasn't done in
years. This exploration is not just about seeking companionship; it represents
a reclamation of her identity and desires.
While alone at a restaurant,
Mahin notices Faramarz, played by Esmaeel Mehrabi, a kind-looking taxi driver
enjoying his meal alone. Intrigued, she follows him to his taxi stand after their
meals.
Mahin invites Faramarz to her
home under the pretext of needing a taxi ride. The restaurant setting, often
associated with routine and mundanity, becomes Mahin’s transformation space.
Her decision to initiate a connection with Faramarz signals her refusal to fade
into the background of her own life.
When she says it's her first
time inviting a man to her house, Faramarz replies, “It’s wonderful. Many men
wouldn't dare. How can they know if a woman likes them? Women can propose,
too.”
They share homemade wine and
reminisce about their youth before the Islamic Revolution, indulging in
laughter and flirtation that rekindles their spirits. The film features
heartwarming scenes of Mahin and her companion conversing and dancing together,
moments sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.
They also discuss death, with
Faramarz admitting his greatest fear is dying alone. His words echo a universal
fear of solitude, especially in old age. Even in old age, this longing for
companionship and intimacy lies at the heart of the film’s narrative.
Watching these lonely souls
find comfort in each other’s company reminded me that love and connection can
bloom at any age. It gave me hope that even at seventy, with wrinkles and all,
one can still be romantically lovable.
It was a visual delight to
see Mahin emerge from her shell, no longer just an old woman but someone
rediscovering love and joy. Her evening with Faramarz becomes a turning point
as she embraces pleasures she had been denied for thirty years.
As the film progresses, the
tone darkens. Mahin, who often baked an orange blossom cake with vanilla cream,
hoping to share it with someone special, finally prepares it for Faramarz. The
cake is ready, and she brings it to him. However, when she tries to wake him,
he doesn’t stir. She calls his name repeatedly, but there is no response.
Faramarz unexpectedly dies in
her home, leaving Mahin devastated. Watching her cry was heart-wrenching, a
pain no ointment could heal. The loss hits her hard, shattering the happiness
she had just started to embrace. She weeps over the cake she had baked for him,
once a symbol of hope and connection, now a poignant emblem of her grief and
loneliness.
This movie is a reminder that
love and companionship are not just luxuries but essential elements of human
existence.
My Favourite Cake
Director: Maryam Moghadam,
Behtash Sanaeeha
Cast: Lili Farhadpour,
Esmaeel MehrabiMansoore, Ilkhani
Duration: 96 minutes
Year: 2024
Language: Persian
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