Willem Dafoe’s New Drama ‘The Birthday Party’ Secures North American Distribution
Quiver Distribution Secures North American Rights to The Birthday Party
Quiver Distribution has obtained the North American distribution rights for The Birthday Party, directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez and adapted from the novel by Panos Karnezis.
The film features an impressive cast, including Willem Dafoe, Vic Carmen Sonne, Joe Cole, Emma Suárez, Carlos Cuevas, and Christos Stergioglou.
Originally debuting at the Locarno Film Festival, The Birthday Party is slated for release on June 5, 2026. The deal was negotiated by Judah Klatzker on behalf of Quiver, with support from Krisztina Laszlo of Bankside Films and Ioanna Stais from Heretic.
Set in the late 1970s on a private island in the Mediterranean, the narrative centers on Marcos Timoleon, a wealthy tycoon reminiscent of Aristotle Onassis, who is hosting an extravagant birthday celebration for his daughter and sole heir, Sofia. The synopsis reveals that the party serves as a venue for various guests to approach Marcos with their own agendas. As the festive atmosphere intensifies, a secret plan unfolds—Marcos is contemplating a significant decision regarding Sofia’s future. Meanwhile, Sofia has news of her own, leading to a dramatic clash as the evening progresses.
Co-produced by Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK, The Birthday Party was filmed entirely in Greece, with scenes shot in Corfu and Athens. The production received financing from several sources, including the Greek Film Centre, ICEC, the Netherlands Film Fund, and the BFI’s Global Screen Fund, along with additional support from Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece, ERT, Kalamata Films, Eolo Film Productions, Hopeless Romantic, and Frontstage.
The project has a diverse team of executive producers, including Ginevra Bulgari, Alexandra Daskalopoulou, Ivan Samokhvalov, Ioanna Stais, Talal Abu Ghazaleh, Mohamed Hefzy, Lee Broda, Alexander Tsekalo, Shane West, Richie Walls, Jeff Rice, Claudia Romero, Gabriel Kaplan, Bruno Lowagie, Ingeborg Willaert, Martien Uyttendaele, Dirk De Lille, Edgar Daarnhouwer, Olivier Mortagne, and Dries Phlypo.
