Happy Birthday (2025 film)
| Happy Birthday | |
|---|---|
Festival release poster | |
| Directed by | Sarah Goher |
| Written by | Sarah Goher Mohamed Diab |
| Produced by | Ahmed Abbas Ahmed Badawy Ahmed El Desouky Jamie Foxx[1] Datari Turner[1] |
| Starring | Nelly Karim Hanan Motawie Sherif Salama Ali Sobhi Doha Ramadan |
| Cinematography | Seif El Din Khaled |
| Edited by | Ahmed Hafez |
| Music by | Mina Samy |
Production company | Foxxhole Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | Egypt |
| Language | Egyptian Arabic |
Happy Birthday (Egyptian Arabic: هابي بيرث داي) is a 2025 Egyptian coming-of-age drama film co-written and directed by Sarah Goher in her directorial debut.[2] It stars Nelly Karim, Hanan Motawie, Sherif Salama, Aly Sobhy and Doha Ramadan.[3] It follows an 8-year-old maid who throws a birthday party for her upper-class friend.[4]
Happy Birthday had its world premiere at the 24th Tribeca Film Festival on June 5, 2025,[5] where it was honored with the Best International Narrative Feature Award as well as the Nora Ephron Award and Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature.[6] It was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[7]
Synopsis
Toha, an eight-year-old girl who works as a maid for a wealthy family in Cairo, is determined to organize a perfect birthday party for Nelly, her employer's daughter. However, the social hierarchy between employer and maid forces the young woman to face a harsh reality.[8]
Cast
- Nelly Karim as Laila
- Doha Ramadan as Toha
- Hanan Motawie as Nadia
- Sherif Salama as Asser
- Ali Sobhi as Toktok Kidnapper
- Hanan Youssef as Grandma
- Khadija Ahmed as Nelly
- Jomana Ibrahim as Fatma
- Fares Mohamed as Fathy
- Hazem Ehab as Cake Shop Cashier
- Samir Gohar as Compound Security
- Gehad Hossam as Clothing Store Seller 1
- Yasmeen El Hawary as Clothing Store Seller 2
- Adel Mohamed as Face Paint Kid at Birthday
- Osama Mahmoud as Amusement Park Security
- Karim Indomy as Car Honker
- Enas Radwan as Street Girl
Release
The film had its world premiere on June 5, 2025, at the 24th Tribeca Film Festival,[9] and then screened on October 16, 2025, at the 8th El Gouna Film Festival.[10]
Accolades
| Award | Ceremony date | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribeca Film Festival | 12 June 2025 | Best International Narrative Feature | Happy Birthday | Won | [11] |
| Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature | Mohamed Diab & Sarah Goher | Won | |||
| Nora Ephron Award | Happy Birthday | Won |
See also
- List of submissions to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Egyptian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
- ^ a b Kheir, Nada Aboul (2025-06-05). "Jamie Foxx Among Producing Team Of Tribeca Competition Title 'Happy Birthday' From 'Moon Knight's Sarah Goher". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "سارة جوهر: لم أتوقّع فوز أول أفلامي بـ3 جوائز في «تريبيكا السينمائي»". Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Egyptian Film 'Birthday' Heads to Tribeca 2025 with a Powerful Message". EgyptToday. 2025-04-20. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ Sobczynski, Peter (2025-06-18). "Tribeca Film Festival 2025: The Narrative Features | Festivals & Awards". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "عرض الفيلم المصرى happy birthday بمهرجان ترابيكا بحضور أوسكار إيزاك". Youm7 (in Arabic). 2025-06-07. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (2025-06-12). "'Charliebird,' 'Happy Birthday,' 'Natchez' Top Tribeca Festival Award Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "مصر ترشح فيلم «عيد ميلاد سعيد» للأوسكار". Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "Happy Birthday". Tribeca Festival. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ ""Happy Birthday" Heads to Tribeca: Egyptian Film Tackles Classism on Global Stage". Nile FM. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ ""عيد ميلاد سعيد" فيلم افتتاح الدورة الثامنة من مهرجان الجونه السينمائي – نقابة المهن السينمائية". Cinema Egypt (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ^ "2025 Tribeca Festival Announces Winners "Charliebird," "Happy Birthday," and "Natchez" in U.S. Narrative, International, Narrative and Documentary Competitions". Tribeca. Retrieved 2025-09-07.