Skip to main content
The Birthday Party film image

The Birthday Party

Il compleanno di Enrico

North American Premiere

At the height of the Y2K scare, young Francesco is confronted with some new realities when he attends his friend Enrico’s birthday party at a remote country home.

 

This short is playing before the feature film Bitten.

Director
Cast

Nicola Cannarella, Matthias Tormen, Denis Fasolo, Elia Luciani, Luisa Trigilla

Credits
Country of Origin

Germany/France/Italy

Year

2023

Language

In Italian with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
18 min

Credits

Producer

Cecilia Trautvetter, François-Pierre Clavel

Screenwriter

Francesco Sossai

Cinematography

Giulia Schelhas

Editor

Francesco Sossai

Original Music

Non voglio che Clara

Director

Francesco Sossai headshot

Francesco Sossai

Francesco Sossai was born in the Italian Dolomites area. He started filming short films at an early age. He moved to Rome where he graduated in English and German Literatures. He was then admitted at the DFFB – German Television Film Academy in Berlin. His first feature length film “Altri Cannibali” celebrated its world premiere at PÖFF 2021 where it was awarded as „Best First Feature“. The film subsequently had its Italian premiere at the 39th Torino Film Festival and was screened worldwide in numerous other festivals. Francesco is currently working on his second feature „Le città della pianura“, a coproduction between Italy and France. He lives in Veneto, Italy.

Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre

Rebuilding

Dir. Max Walker-Silverman
95 min

The western gets climate changed in this gentle, pensive portrait of a modern cowboy (Josh O'Connor) picking up the pieces after losing his Colorado homestead to a wildfire.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Auction

Dir. Pascal Bonitzer
91 min

Inspired by a true story, writer-director Pascal Bonitzer has crafted an inquiring, witty drama about the art market. When a long-lost Egon Schiele masterpiece reemerges, art appraiser Alex is initially skeptical. And yet...

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Sinners

Dir. Ryan Coogler
137 min

This year's unexpected box office sleeper is that rare beast, a genre movie full of bold invention and surprise. We are in Mississippi in the early 1930s, and the opening of a new blues joint on the edge of town is the signal for all hell to break out.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

La venue de l'avenir

Dir. Cédric Klapisch
124 min

Four cousins are tapped to investigate an abandoned house that is their joint inheritance. As they explore, they learn their story of their ancestor Adele (Suzanne Lindon) and her foray into Paris in the age of Impressionism.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Weapons

Dir. Zach Creggar
128 min

Why did a whole class of pre-teens (barring one kid) simultaneously disappear in the middle of the night? In what has been a banner year for horror films, Zach Creggar's Weapons is a film of outstanding originality and flair.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

The Musicians

Dir. Grégory Magne
102 min

Brought together to perform a specially commissioned piece, a string quartet of virtuoso musicians descends into squabbling and animosity in this classy French comedy.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema