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.

Three-time Emmy nominee Melanie Lynskey (YELLOW JACKETS, THE LAST OF US) and acclaimed NZ actress Robyn Malcolm (TOP OF THE LAKE, AFTER THE PARTY) star as Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse; two ordinary women who together stand up and take on the government, justice system and a company that will stop at nothing to protect itself, after the 2010 Pike River Mine explosion takes the lives of 29 men underground.

This is a film about the powerless vs. the powerful, of people vs. money, of right vs. wrong.

The superb new film from multi award-winning writer/director François Ozon (Swimming Pool, 8 Women, Under the Sand), THE STRANGER is a gripping adaptation of Albert Camus’ landmark novella about a detached young expat under trial for murder in French-colonised Algeria.