Happy Days (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Happy Days follows Claudia, a 20-year-old caught between past and future relationships whose emotions transform her into a strange, winged creature. Susanna Nicchiarelli’s Italian drama connects this unusual premise with questions of abuse, protection, growing up and the courage to reveal one’s true self.

Happy Days, also known by its original Italian title Giorni felici, centers on Claudia, a 20-year-old negotiating the uncertainty of love and adulthood. Her life takes on a fantastical dimension whenever powerful feelings cause her body to change.

Written and directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli, the Italian drama uses Claudia’s unusual condition to frame a story about vulnerability, protection and self-acceptance. The film is scheduled for release on October 21, 2026, and has a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Happy Days movie details

Story without spoilers

Claudia is caught between relationships connected to her past and the possibilities represented by future love. She appears to be an ordinary young woman, but intense emotions trigger a startling transformation: she becomes a creature with white wings, tusks and feline paws.

This central premise places Claudia’s inner life at the heart of the story. As she faces questions of abuse, protection and growing up, she must consider what it means to let other people see her as she truly is. The film’s conflict is built around the risk involved in showing that hidden side of herself and adapting to change.

What to expect

Happy Days is identified as a drama with a fantastical transformation at its center. Viewers can expect a character-focused story concerned with emotional pressure, identity, relationships and the transition into adulthood. Claudia’s physical changes provide the film’s most distinctive element, while the supplied premise points toward an exploration of vulnerability and the courage required to be open with others.

The story also addresses abuse and protection, suggesting serious emotional stakes alongside its imaginative concept. No further details about the film’s plot, tone or ending are provided.

Cast and creative team

Carlotta Gamba plays Claudia, the film’s central character. The cast also includes Riccardo Scamarcio, Bruno Orlando, Anna Bellato, Leonardo Maddalena, Aurora Di Modugno and Sara Mafodda.

Susanna Nicchiarelli serves as both director and writer, giving the film a single credited creative lead behind its story and direction.

• Carlotta Gamba as Claudia
• Riccardo Scamarcio
• Bruno Orlando
• Anna Bellato
• Leonardo Maddalena
• Aurora Di Modugno
• Sara Mafodda

Release and production context

Happy Days is an Italian production spoken in Italian. It is listed as a 2026 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. The release date is October 21, 2026.

The production companies are Vivo Film, Tarantula, RAI Cinema, MiC and Film Commission Torino Piemonte. The film’s original title is Giorni felici, and its listed status is Released.

Production companies: Vivo Film, Tarantula, RAI Cinema, MiC, Film Commission Torino Piemonte

Movies Dock view

With its blend of grounded coming-of-age concerns and a striking fantasy premise, Happy Days places emotional exposure at the center of Claudia’s story. The film’s focus on abuse, protection, change and self-expression gives its unusual transformation a clear dramatic context without revealing how her story concludes.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb