Building an empire is possible, but “if you’re not careful, if you lack critical sense, if you don’t control yourself, if you don’t maintain balance… You forget the original intention and create a nightmare,” Willem Dafoe stated in an interview with Variety. He was reflecting on his starring role in “The Birthday Party,” set to premiere Thursday, August 7th in the Piazza Grande at the Locarno Film Festival.
Set in the 1970s, the film follows Marcos Timoleon (Dafoe), an Onassis-style magnate, who decides to throw an extravagant birthday celebration for his sole heiress, daughter Sofia (Vic Carmen Sonne), on his private Mediterranean island. Amidst a diverse array of guests, each harboring their own hidden agendas, Marcos aims to make a pivotal decision about Sofia’s future. However, the young woman has other, unexpected news for him. An inevitable clash between father and daughter ensues, with far-reaching consequences.
Filmed on Corfu, “The Birthday Party” is written and directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, based on the novel by Greek author Panos Karnezis. The cast features Dafoe, Sonne (known for Oscar 2025 International Feature nominee “The Girl with a Needle”), Spanish actress Emma Suárez as Marcos’ wife Julieta, and Joe Cole (“Peaky Blinders”).
Dafoe revealed that accepting the role of Timoleon was driven by the character’s “rich portrait” and the exploration of “the toxicity of that kind of power, of patriarchy” he embodies. It’s “more than a family drama,” a theme the actor usually finds less compelling. Instead, it’s a story speaking directly to modern audiences about the risks in today’s society, where unscrupulous billionaires wield significant power. “It talks about ambition, about legacy,” said the four-time Oscar nominee. “And what led the protagonist to success is the very same thing that will lead to his ruin. It’s such a significant, fascinating, and true story that I never tire of it.”
The portrayal transcends caricature, avoiding a simplistic depiction of a rich man seeking to control everything, including his offspring. Director Jimenez confirmed this approach: “I wanted to show this family in the most human and intimate way possible,” resisting the temptation to “ridicule and judge them from the outset,” despite his own rejection of “this wealthy elite: brutal, frivolous, false, and selfish.”