Role and Synopsis

Luke McGibney plays supporting role Ben Cohen a Jewish father married to a non Jewish wife, who is caught in the middle of his son’s obsession in wanting to be accepted as a Jew.


Happy New Year is a unique and bittersweet coming-of-age tale about ten year old Michael Cohen. Michael’s world is a confusing mix of Jewish tradition and secular society, a result of his father, Ben, “marrying out”.  When Michael realises a spelling test falls on Rosh Hashanah, his father’s Jewish heritage becomes an opportunity to skip class. Underneath this simple tale, Happy New Year tells a deeper, universal story about how identity confusion can lead a child to behave in unexpected and unusual ways.