The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party (2026)



Histoires de la nuit

6.3 2026 114 min France

Director: Léa Mysius

Cast: Hafsia Herzi, Benoît Magimel, Bastien Bouillon, Monica Bellucci, Tawba El Gharchi

Thriller
Deep in the isolated marshlands, Thomas, Nora, and their teenage daughter Ida lead a quiet life cut off from the outside world. Their only connection to others is Cristina, an Italian painter living next door. When the two families secretly prepare a surprise birthday celebration for Nora, unsettling phenomena start creeping in, sending ripples of tension across the desolate marsh.

More About This Film

The Birthday Party, also known by its original French title Histoires de la nuit, is a tense rural thriller centered on a family preparing for Nora's birthday. Thomas, Nora and their daughter Ida live in an isolated French community near their artist neighbor Cristina, where an apparently ordinary celebration gradually becomes increasingly unsettling.

Léa Mysius directs the adaptation of Laurent Mauvignier's novel, combining family drama, mystery and home-invasion suspense. Hafsia Herzi, Benoît Magimel, Monica Bellucci and Bastien Bouillon lead the cast in a story that uses the quiet countryside to heighten a sense of unease.

  • Léa Mysius directed and co-wrote the film.
  • The screenplay is adapted from Laurent Mauvignier's novel Histoires de la nuit.
  • Hafsia Herzi, Benoît Magimel and Monica Bellucci are among the principal cast.
  • The film premiered in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
  • Filming took place in Nantiat in France's Haute-Vienne region.

Where to Watch

The Birthday Party has had festival and theatrical distribution, while digital availability depends on territory and release windows.