Directing

Hasan Hadi

Hasan Hadi is an Iraqi writer/director and an adjunct professor at NYU's Graduate Film Program. His short ‘Swimsuit’ won an Oscar-qualifying award at Urbanworld and received distribution from HBO Max. Hasan’s recognitions include the Tisch Dean’s Fellowship, the Gotham-Marcie Bloom Fellowship, the Black Family Production Prize, the Sloan Foundation Production Award, and the BAFTA Newcomers Program…

Known For

The President's Cake

The President's Cake · 2026

The President's Cake

While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, Saddam Hussein requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates. The young girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients for the mandatory cake or face the consequences.

Pancakes

Pancakes · 2019

An adolescent girl has trained herself to function within the walls of a dysfunctional home, but when forced to face reality she must choose between the love she has for her mother or her own well-being. Pancakes explores the effects of losing someone you love to an illness. The film depicts a child's attempt to be an adult in order to keep some semblance of a family together, broken as it may be.

Swimsuit

Swimsuit · 2021

Samah attempts tirelessly to escape wearing a burkini for her middle school swim meet, feeling embarrassed by its shape and cultural meaning.

Real Talk

Real Talk · 2020

MovieMusicComedy

A woman goes on a daytime show to confront a famous music producer of sexual harassment, only to find him armed with the “perfect apology.”

The Trees

The Trees · 2021

MovieComedyDrama

A researcher in plant sciences returns home to his village in rural Lebanon to attend his father's funeral. During the three-day-long Christian Greek Orthdox memorial he discovers that a pathogen is infecting the trees across his village. A dark comedy about tradition, grief, and the environment.

The Darkness

The Darkness · 2020

A former elementary school teacher emerges badly bruised on the shore of a lake. After a lengthy trek through the hot Mexican sun, she lands at the primary school where she once worked.

Filmography

Sort

The President's Cake

The President's Cake · 2026

The President's Cake

While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, Saddam Hussein requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates. The young girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients for the mandatory cake or face the consequences.

Director

Pancakes

Pancakes · 2019

An adolescent girl has trained herself to function within the walls of a dysfunctional home, but when forced to face reality she must choose between the love she has for her mother or her own well-being. Pancakes explores the effects of losing someone you love to an illness. The film depicts a child's attempt to be an adult in order to keep some semblance of a family together, broken as it may be.

Sound

Swimsuit

Swimsuit · 2021

Samah attempts tirelessly to escape wearing a burkini for her middle school swim meet, feeling embarrassed by its shape and cultural meaning.

Editor

Real Talk

Real Talk · 2020

MovieMusicComedy

A woman goes on a daytime show to confront a famous music producer of sexual harassment, only to find him armed with the “perfect apology.”

Sound Mixer

The Trees

The Trees · 2021

MovieComedyDrama

A researcher in plant sciences returns home to his village in rural Lebanon to attend his father's funeral. During the three-day-long Christian Greek Orthdox memorial he discovers that a pathogen is infecting the trees across his village. A dark comedy about tradition, grief, and the environment.

Editor

The Darkness

The Darkness · 2020

A former elementary school teacher emerges badly bruised on the shore of a lake. After a lengthy trek through the hot Mexican sun, she lands at the primary school where she once worked.

Sound