Joe Colucci

Will, a young Hispanic gay potter, is one gregarious guy. His boss is terrible, but he's got a great boyfriend and a great job. Unfortunately, behind that veneer is a dark past of violence and mental illness that he is desperate to keep hidden. When his bipolar mother comes out of the woodwork after ten years of silence, he begins exhibiting unexplainable symptoms and spirals into an obsession, determined to solve this mystery of his own. A young potter’s life devolves into chaos as he loses function of his body while being haunted by the physical manifestation of his childhood trauma.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY follows Craig Smith, a young man grappling with trauma and grief - embodied in the form of a red backpack. Despite his efforts to rid himself of his hurt, the backpack keeps reappearing in his life. But when an advertisement for Hertz Pawn Emporium, a shop that buys trauma, comes on his TV, he finds a possible solution to forget it all. As he navigates his memories and emotions, Craig's journey culminates in a surprising confrontation that leads to a mix of release and acceptance, revealing the complexities of healing and letting go.

A world-famous black celebrity is detained at a mysterious psychiatric facility following his erratic behavior and political activism.