The story of My Favourite Cake
My Favourite Cake tells the deceptively simple story of Mahin, a widowed, retired nurse who's spent years living alone in Tehran after her husband's death and her daughter's move to Europe. She's built a quiet, solitary life—the kind that doesn't demand much and doesn't offer much in return. Then one afternoon, sitting in a government-run pensioner's café with friends, she overhears a conversation that changes everything. A taxi driver named Faramarz is single. Available. And that's all the opening she needs. What unfolds isn't a typical romance—it's something messier, more human, and far more subversive. Mahin decides to pursue him, tracks him down, and climbs into his cab. She's not a cougar. He's not a womaniser. They're two people in their later years who've decided, quietly but deliberately, to want something for themselves in a place where that choice carries real weight.
The film, running 97 minutes, sits comfortably in the drama-comedy-romance space, which means it refuses to be pinned down by tone. One moment it's funny—genuinely funny, in that observational way that catches you off guard. The next, it's tender, even aching. And sometimes it's both at once. That's where the real intelligence of the film lives: in its refusal to treat aging desire as either comic relief or tragedy. It's just life. Messy, complicated, worth pursuing.
Behind the making of My Favourite Cake
My Favourite Cake is a co-written and co-directed effort by Iranian filmmakers Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, whose collaborative vision brings a distinctly local sensibility to what could've been a generic romance. The production involved multiple companies—FilmSazan Javan, Caractères Productions, HOBAB, and Watchmen Productions—pooling resources to bring this story to the screen. The cast anchors the film with Lily Farhadpour in the lead role as Mahin, bringing a mix of vulnerability and quiet determination to a character who could've easily become a caricature in less thoughtful hands. Esmail Mehrabi plays Faramarz with an equally nuanced touch, avoiding the trap of playing "the romantic interest" and instead grounding the role in the specific hesitations and hopes of a real person.
The film arrived in 2024 with an IMDb rating of 7.3 out of 10, suggesting solid audience appreciation without the kind of hype that precedes a breakout hit. That's actually fitting for a film that works through subtlety rather than spectacle. There's no word yet on major festival awards or box office records, but the film's real success lives in its willingness to center the interior lives of people cinema often overlooks—aging women, working-class men, people living in contexts where personal autonomy is a luxury. Movie OTT has tracked this title across streaming platforms, and its availability speaks to growing appetite for international cinema that doesn't require a Western lens to feel universal.
What makes My Favourite Cake stand out
Here's what's striking about My Favourite Cake: it takes a genuinely subversive premise—a woman actively pursuing romance in Iran—and treats it with such warmth and humor that you almost miss how political it is. The film isn't preaching about women's rights. It's not making a grand statement. Instead, it's showing you two people deciding to live out their desires in a country where women's freedoms are greatly restricted, and it does so with such tenderness that the act itself becomes the argument.
Lily Farhadpour's performance is the backbone here. She plays Mahin with a kind of quiet defiance—not angry, not loud, just determined. There's a scene early on where she's sitting in that café, listening to her friends talk, and you see something shift behind her eyes. It's not dramatic. It's barely visible. But it's everything. That's the kind of acting that doesn't announce itself; it just lives. Esmail Mehrabi matches her energy with a performance that's equally understated, playing Faramarz as someone who's learned not to want things, and who's genuinely surprised when someone wants him. The chemistry between them isn't the sparkling, witty banter of a rom-com. It's slower, more careful, more real—which somehow makes it more romantic.
What's remarkable is how the film balances comedy with genuine emotional stakes. It's funny when it needs to be, but it never punches down at its characters. The humor comes from recognizing the absurdity of their situation, the gap between what they want and what they're "supposed" to want at their age and in their circumstances. That's sophisticated comedy. That's writing that trusts the audience.
How to watch My Favourite Cake online
My Favourite Cake is currently available on major OTT services, and you can check the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to see which platforms are currently streaming it in your region. Streaming availability shifts regularly—titles move between services, get pulled, or rotate into catalogs—so it's worth checking that widget before you settle in. The good news is that a film like this, with its modest runtime and intimate scope, is perfect for the streaming format. You're not losing anything by watching it at home. In fact, there's something right about experiencing Mahin's quiet revolution in your own space, without the distractions of a theater.
Movie OTT's streaming tracker makes it easy to find where your favorite films are available without having to hunt across five different apps. That's the whole point of the site—you shouldn't have to do detective work just to watch something.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed My Favourite Cake?
The film was co-written and co-directed by Iranian filmmakers Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, bringing their collaborative vision to this story of desire and second chances in Tehran.
Q: What's the runtime of My Favourite Cake?
The film runs 97 minutes, a lean runtime that keeps the story moving without unnecessary padding.
Q: Is My Favourite Cake based on a true story?
The film isn't based on a specific true story, but it draws on the real experiences of aging women in Iran seeking autonomy and connection—themes that ground the narrative in lived reality.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for My Favourite Cake?
The film holds a 7.3 out of 10 rating on IMDb, reflecting solid audience appreciation for its nuanced performances and storytelling.
Q: Where can I watch My Favourite Cake?
My Favourite Cake is available on major OTT platforms. Check the "Where to Watch" widget on this page to see current availability in your region, as streaming rights shift regularly.
Final thoughts on My Favourite Cake
My Favourite Cake is the kind of film that sneaks up on you. It doesn't announce its importance. It doesn't try to change your mind about anything. It just shows you two people deciding to want something, and somehow that becomes enough—becomes everything. If you're tired of romance films that treat aging as a punchline or a tragedy, if you're interested in cinema that centers perspectives usually left on the margins, or if you just want to watch two actors do genuinely fine work with material that respects their intelligence, this one's worth your time. It's a small film with a big heart, and honestly, those are the ones that stick with you.
