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Woman sitting outside in the middle of speaking with arms out, sunglasses on top of her head
Woman with red hair looking up past the camera looking fearful
Portrait of white male

The Birthday Trip + Q&A

Next on 5 Dec 2026 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm

The Birthday Trip + Q&A

Woman sitting outside in the middle of speaking with arms out, sunglasses on top of her head
Woman with red hair looking up past the camera looking fearful
Portrait of white male

Overview

Turning 30 can be confronting. Watching someone else do it can be hilarious.

When three couples head to a luxury Southern Highlands retreat for a joint birthday celebration, a weekend of good food, flowing drinks and carefully maintained appearances quickly unravels. Old resentments surface, loyalties shift, and uncomfortable truths emerge, exposing the cracks beneath seemingly successful lives.

The debut feature from James Robert Woods, The Birthday Trip is a wickedly funny Australian black comedy that skewers privilege, ambition and millennial self-importance with sharp wit and uncomfortable precision. Featuring standout performances from an outstanding ensemble cast, it's a painfully recognisable portrait of friendship, relationships and the stories you tell yourselves about who you've become.

Following the screening, stay for a special Q&A with writer-director James Robert Woods and producer Stephanie Jane Day. Together they'll discuss the making of the film, its biting take on contemporary Australian culture, and the challenges of bringing this chaotic, character-driven story to the screen.

Funny, awkward and all too relatable, The Birthday Trip is a sharply observed comedy about what happens when a milestone birthday forces everyone to take a hard look at where their lives are really headed.

Dates

5 Dec 2026
December 2026
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National Film and Sound Archive of Australia1 McCoy Circuit, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Facilities
  • Cafe
  • Carpark
  • Coach Parking
  • Conference/Function Facilities
  • Family Friendly
  • Non Smoking
  • Public Toilet
  • Caters for people who use a wheelchair.
  • Caters for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
  • Caters for people with sufficient mobility to climb a few steps but who would benefit from fixtures to aid balance. (This includes people using walking frames and mobility aids)
  • View accessibility statement