Egypt Submits ‘Happy Birthday’ for Oscar Consideration in 2026

Egypt has announced its submission for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming 2026 Oscars with the coming-of-age drama film Happy Birthday. Directed and co-written by Sarah Goher, this film marks her feature directorial debut and tells the poignant story of an eight-year-old maid navigating class disparities in Cairo.

Storyline and Creative Team

Happy Birthday stars newcomer Doha Ramadan, alongside established actors such as Nelly Karim, Hanan Motawie, Sherif Salama, and Aly Sobhy. The film was produced by Ahmed El Desouky for SkyLimit Production, with additional involvement from renowned producer Jamie Foxx. The screenplay was co-written by Goher and her life partner, Mohamed Diab, who has previously collaborated with her on projects like the Marvel series Moon Knight.

The narrative follows an ambitious young maid in Cairo who is determined to host the perfect birthday party for her employer’s daughter. As the story unfolds, it explores themes of class, power, and belonging through the innocent eyes of a child.

Premiere and Accolades

Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, Happy Birthday received critical acclaim, winning awards for Best International Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, and the Nora Ephron Award. The film is set to screen at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival starting Saturday, where it will continue to garner international attention.

Goher’s inspiration for the film stems from her personal experiences. Raised in New York but spending summers in Cairo, she encountered various children during her visits. One summer, she played with a girl she believed to be family, only to later learn that the girl was her grandmother’s maid. This realization sparked Goher’s desire to highlight the often-unspoken issues surrounding child labor in Egypt.

“Child labor is not allowed in Egypt, but there’s this gray area where families, if not in this generation, in a previous generation have a child around them that was in this limbo,” Goher explains.

Finding the Right Talent

Understanding the importance of casting, Goher spent significant time and effort searching for the right actress to portray her young lead. She utilized street casting methods and social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Ultimately, she invited 60 girls to audition at the Cairo Opera House over the course of eight hours, ensuring that they were all dressed similarly to eliminate any biases based on their socio-economic backgrounds.

“I had these girls dancing and singing, doing mirror exercises and improvisations around the film,” Goher recalls. “When you have kids away from their parents and interacting with each other, they open up quickly.” Young Ramadan stood out, impressing Goher with her confidence and storytelling ability.

Supporting Young Talent

Throughout the production process, Goher emphasized the importance of collaboration with Ramadan. She wanted the young actress to understand that the story, while fictional, was rooted in real-life experiences. “I needed her to understand that this is fiction,” Goher said. “I wanted to have her input into her character, because I did not want to be projecting a story from my imagination about someone like her.”

To ensure that Ramadan’s experience was enriching, Goher created an “enrichment program” following the completion of filming. Despite having memorized the entire script, Ramadan did not know how to read. Goher arranged for a private tutor to teach her reading and writing and enrolled her in a gifted youth center at the Opera House to explore ballet.

“I wanted her to see herself as an artist,” Goher concluded. “In her socio-economic class, art is not something that’s a priority. I needed to give her an outlet that she could continue to follow.” Goher expressed gratitude for the support of Ramadan’s family throughout this journey.

As Happy Birthday makes its way to international audiences, it aims to resonate with viewers by shedding light on the complexities of class and childhood through the lens of a young girl’s determination and spirit.