Iran puts My Favorite Cake film directors and cast on trial

The directors and lead actors of My Favorite Cake, an Iranian film that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, went on trial in a court in Tehran on Saturday, alongside other members of the production team.

Directors Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam, actors Esmail Mehrabi and Lily Farhadpour, producer Gholamreza Mousavi, and one of the film’s cinematographers faced charges of propaganda against the state, promoting immoral content, and screening the film without a permit, according to US-based rights group, Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA).

A day after the hearing, Farhadpour wrote a post on her Telegram channel recounting details of the session.

Describing the trial as an inquisition rather than a judicial process, she wrote that the courtroom featured a “Prosecutor’s Desk” where no one sat. “The judge is both the judge and the prosecutor—but mostly the prosecutor,” she added. “You do not feel like you are being judged; you feel like you are only being prosecuted.”

She later deleted the post, writing, “They told me to delete the previous post. I said: ‘Of course.’” She did not specify who instructed her, but Iranian authorities have increasingly restricted artists' social media activities and pressured them to self-censor.

My Favorite Cake tells the story of an elderly woman living alone in Tehran, navigating the loneliness of old age while seeking new experiences. The film explores themes of personal freedom, love, and human connection.

Authorities have taken issue with the film’s portrayal of life outside state-imposed social restrictions, particularly its depiction of women without mandatory hijabs and scenes that hint at relationships outside conservative norms of unmarried couples.

The film also features scenes where the characters consume alcohol—an act that, while common in private homes, is illegal under Iran’s strict laws. In Iran, the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol have been prohibited since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Despite the ban, alcohol consumption persists through underground networks, with many Iranians producing homemade wine and spirits in private settings.

The film was awarded the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at Berlinale and the Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival.

Moghadam and Sanaeeha, known for their previous festival appearances, were unable to attend their film’s premiere last year due to a travel ban imposed on them by Iranian authorities.

The film crew's trial comes amid an intensified crackdown on independent filmmakers and artists in Iran, particularly those who challenge state-imposed restrictions.