HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE

Fleeing from the law, a desperate nurse and her young daughter plunge into a life-changing journey filled with eccentric characters and oddball locations, finding a unique celebration of the daughter's 16th birthday in the most unlikely of places.

DIRECTOR: Nina Martinek

WRITERS: Boris Frumin, Nina Martinek

CAST: Katelin Stack, Azure Martinek, Chris Galust, Justin Braham, Presley LaFountain


GENRE: Roadtrip, Drama, Art House
FORMAT: Feature Film (90 Mins)
STATUS: Completed


SCREENER AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Optimized for desktop

For the best user experience, please access this page from a desktop or laptop.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.

Selected Rights Available

Screener Available on Request

The Story

"Happy Birthday Charlie" is an engaging and heartwarming road trip story that takes us through a mother's desperate act of love, and a daughter's coming-of-age journey. The film begins with June, a hard-working nurse who, in a moment of desperation, is caught stealing prescription medications, putting both her and her young daughter, Charlie, in the path of the law.


Left with no choice, they embark on an unplanned road trip in an attempt to evade the police. As the journey progresses, we witness their shared experiences of encountering a motley crew of good Samaritans, misfits, and oddballs. These experiences serve to deepen their mother-daughter bond and broaden their perspective of life and humanity. The story is layered with humor, heartache, and hope, all entwined in a maze of challenges they must navigate.


Their adventure-filled journey leads them to an unusual destination, where nothing is what it seems. It's here that they surprisingly find a new sense of happiness and belonging, ironically on the day of Charlie's milestone 16th birthday. It's a strange celebration, but one that is meaningful and cathartic for both of them.


This narrative feature is a poignant exploration of parenthood, growth, and finding joy in the least expected places. Its nuanced portrayal of human resilience in the face of adversity serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of a mother's love and a young girl's transition into womanhood. "Happy Birthday Charlie" is a beautiful mess of life's surprises, capturing the essence of family, love, and the courage to accept change

E L S E W H E R E   I S  T H E   

D E S T I N A T I O N

The Themes

Redemption & Forgiveness

Escapism & Freedom

Coming-of-Age

The core of the story revolves around the relationship between June and Charlie. Their complex, evolving bond is put to the test under extraordinary circumstances.
The Story

The Cast


Katelin Stack

With over 10 years of both stage and film experience, Katelin has been praised for her intense, enigmatic characters and her hardworking and trustworthy demeanor has likened her with greats such as Tilda Swinton, Emily Blunt and Julia Roberts.

Azure Martinek

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. 

Chris Galust

Winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead and a Gotham Film Awards nomination for Breakthrough Actor, for his debut performance in Kirill Mikhanovsky's Give Me Liberty. Chris' raw talent and chrisma is what old Hollywood stories are made of.

Screener Available on Request

The Story

The Tone


"Happy Birthday Charlie" strikes a delicate balance between drama and adventure, crafting a unique tonal mix that encapsulates the unpredictable rhythms of life. The narrative tone resonates with emotional authenticity, painting a vivid portrait of a desperate mother and a teenager on the cusp of adulthood trying to navigate their complicated world.


The film traverses darker themes such as crime, desperation, and struggle, yet it juxtaposes these elements with warmth, humor, and hope. Moments of tension and anxiety are interlaced with instances of human kindness and unexpected joy, lending the narrative a poignant but uplifting tone.

In essence, the tone of "Happy Birthday Charlie" is both heartrending and heartwarming. The road trip serves as a metaphorical backdrop that allows the story to unfold organically, infusing the narrative with alternating waves of urgency, surprise, amusement, and sentimentality. Despite its somber catalyst, the film captures a sense of optimistic resilience, using the lighter moments to underscore the strength and tenacity of its lead characters and their shared journey. It's a beautiful chaos, tinged with both the harsh realities of life and the delightful serendipity of unexpected encounters.

Production Stills


Directors Statement

"I wrote and directed this nuanced, off-beat film to evoke empathy for those struggling with addiction and to reveal the complexities of its effects on the individual, family, and community. June, an addicted widow with an unreliable car and a shady boyfriend, navigates the hardships of addiction while her daughter, Charlie, fights to find independence and maintain loyalty to her erratic mother.


Cast with a mix of professional and non-professional actors, this authentic and intimate story is a cinematic experience that is both beautiful and honest. It explores the marginalization of women and girls, the effects of the opioid epidemic on American families, and the dangers of gun culture, raising important questions about a society that has forgotten how to take care of its own people."

Nina Martinek

Writer / Director

Selected Rights Available

Checkout Now
Your cart is empty Continue
Shopping Cart
Subtotal:
Discount 
Discount 
Checkout
View Details
- +
Sold Out