SYNOPSIS

2 days in the lives of 5 born on June 12th. "Happy Birthday" centers around five very different people who share the same birthday as well as varying problems of self-acceptance, family tensions and unrequited love. There is Kelly, a young lesbian whose life is placed in flux by a phone call from a former close friend; Javed, a Pakistani facing deportation and separation from his American lover to his estranged Islamic family; Tracy, a Taiwanese-born former student whose visit from her overbearing mother forces her back into the closet; Ron, a minister who preaches the ability to convert his sexuality, all the while watching gay porn at home; and Jim, an overweight telemarketer whose success at selling diet pills masks his insecurities. As their birthdays approach, these individuals are forced to confront the struggles that stifle their lives. Yen Tan's debut feature is an ambitious journey into the emotional complexities of human behavior, gay or straight; observed in a poignant, everyday-life manner. Leisurely paced and tightly edited, this is a film that rewards its audience with a bittersweet finale, one that reasonates powerfully because it challenges the way we view ourselves and the people around us. USA/2002/B&W/93MINS/ENGLISH,MANDARIN,URDU & SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES