REinvent International Sales has picked up the upcoming Toronto selected drama, A HAPPY DAY by acclaimed director, Hisham Zaman.
Shot amidst the vast, snow-covered landscapes of northern Norway, A HAPPY DAY is Hisham Zaman’s third feature film. Regarded as one of Norway’s leading auteur directors, Zaman is best known for his films exploring themes related to migration, identity and belonging. His previous features “Before Snowfall” (2013) and “Letter to the King” (2014) both won the coveted Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film at the Gothenburg International Film Festival.
Rikke Ennis, CEO at REinvent says: “A Happy Day is a beautiful and important film, which we are very proud to be representing. Hisham Zaman has created a heartwarming universe in the stunning, biting cold Norwegian nature.”
Helene Aurø, Sales and Marketing Director at REinvent adds: “A Happy Day has a breathtaking production value and a highly relevant message and I have high hopes that it will successfully travel around the world. “
Synopsis
Three teenage friends stuck in a refugee camp in the frozen north of Norway come up with a plan to escape over the mountain to a world where their dreams can be fulfilled. But when one of them falls in love, their plan begins to unravel.
A HAPPY DAY is a bold and artistic film, absurdly located in remote northern Norway. It is a fictional story about a trio of teenage boys who are waiting to be sent out of the country on their 18th birthdays. Determined to stay together, the three friends come up with a plan to escape. But when a troubled young girl shows up at the centre and falls in love with one of the boys, the trio’s escape plan – and their friendship – are suddenly thrown into jeopardy.
The film is led by a cast of new discoveries (Salah Qadi, Ravand Ali Taha, Mohamed Salah, Sarah Aman Mentzoni), complemented by a supporting cast featuring several well-known names including Stig Frode Henriksen (Dead Snow, 2024) and Thea Sofie Loch Næss (The Last Kingdom, 2018; Evil, 2023).
A HAPPY DAY is produced by Hisham Zaman for Snowfall Cinema, in collaboration with associate producers Turid Øversveen and Renée Hansen Mlodyszewski. It is co-produced with Zentropa Denmark and Rein Film with support from The Norwegian Film Institute, Danish Film Institute, Eurimages, Nordic Film & TV Fund, Filmfond Nord and FilmCamp. REinvent handles international sales.