"My Beijing Birthday" takes a heartfelt and humorous look at the rapidly changing lives of a group of young Beijingers through the eyes of Howie Snyder, a native New Yorker. Howie, one of the first Westerners to study in Communist Beijing, in 1981, has spent the last 25 years living and working in China, Japan, and other Asian countries. The documentary is based on an earlier film Howie directed and produced about his experience studying classic Chinese stand-up comedy with a group of 8-year-olds and their teacher Mrs. Ma in 1996. Howie tracks down his former classmates in the city that hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, and through their often emotional reflections we learn about their lives and dreams for the future.