The Birthday Party (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Birthday Party follows a family living in isolated marshland as preparations for Nora’s surprise celebration are disrupted by strange events. Written and directed by Léa Mysius, this French-language thriller centers on a small community where limited social contact makes every disturbance feel increasingly unsettling.

The Birthday Party is a 2026 thriller written and directed by Léa Mysius. Set in remote marshland, the film follows Thomas, Nora and their teenage daughter Ida, whose isolated routine is shared only with their neighbor, Cristina, an Italian painter.

When the two households organize a surprise birthday party for Nora, unusual disturbances begin to unsettle the area. The film’s premise places a private family celebration against a secluded landscape where there are few people to turn to and little distance from growing unease.

The Birthday Party movie details

Story without spoilers

Thomas, Nora and Ida live on remote marshland, separated from most of society and maintaining contact with just one neighbor, Cristina. Cristina is an Italian painter, and the two households come together while planning a surprise birthday party for Nora.

Their preparations are interrupted by strange disturbances around the marsh. As the atmosphere becomes more uneasy, the limited size of the community gives the family’s celebration an increasingly tense setting. The story focuses on the disruption of an ordinary gathering without revealing how the mystery develops.

What to expect

The Birthday Party is identified as a thriller, with its central tension drawn from isolation, strange disturbances and an increasingly uneasy atmosphere. The remote marshland setting and the small group of characters create a contained framework for the story.

The premise also suggests a contrast between a familiar social occasion and an unsettling environment. Specific plot turns, the nature of the disturbances and the film’s resolution are not disclosed in the supplied information.

Cast and creative team

Léa Mysius writes and directs The Birthday Party. Hafsia Herzi plays Nora, while Bastien Bouillon portrays Thomas Bergogne and Tawba El Gharchi plays Ida. Monica Bellucci appears as Cristina, the family’s Italian painter neighbor.

The cast also includes Benoît Magimel as Franck, Paul Hamy as Flo, Alane Delhaye as Bégue, Servane Ducorps as Estelle, Tatia Tsuladze as Kim and Jean-Paul Daniel as Chef de service.

• Hafsia Herzi as Nora
• Benoît Magimel as Franck
• Bastien Bouillon as Thomas Bergogne
• Monica Bellucci as Cristina
• Tawba El Gharchi as Ida
• Paul Hamy as Flo
• Alane Delhaye as Bégue
• Servane Ducorps as Estelle
• Tatia Tsuladze as Kim
• Jean-Paul Daniel as Chef de service

Release and production context

The Birthday Party is listed as a 2026 production from France and Belgium, with a release date of September 16, 2026. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes and is spoken in French.

The production companies credited are F Comme Film, France 3 Cinéma, DIVISION and Beside Productions. The film’s original title is Histoires de la nuit.

Production companies: F Comme Film, France 3 Cinéma, DIVISION, Beside Productions

Movies Dock view

With its isolated setting, compact group of characters and disruptions surrounding a birthday celebration, The Birthday Party is built around a focused thriller premise. The supplied details present a French-language story of domestic plans meeting an atmosphere of mounting unease, without revealing the explanation behind the disturbances.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb