Festen (1998)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Writers:

Thomas Vinterberg (screenplay) &
Mogens Rukov (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 June 1998 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Every family has a secret.

Plot:

At Helge's 60th birthday party, some unpleasant family truths are revealed.

Plot Keywords:

Birthday | Speech | Suicide | Family Secret | Estate

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 24 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Ulrich Thomsen	...	Christian
Henning Moritzen	...	Faderen - Helge
Thomas Bo Larsen	...	Michael
Paprika Steen	...	Helene
Birthe Neumann	...	Moderen - Else
Trine Dyrholm	...	Pia
Helle Dolleris	...	Mette
Therese Glahn	...	Michelle
Klaus Bondam	...	Toastmasteren - Master of Ceremonies
Bjarne Henriksen	...	Kokken - Kim
Gbatokai Dakinah	...	Gbatokai
Lasse Lunderskov	...	Onklen - Uncle
Lars Brygmann	...	Receptionisten - Receptionist
Lene Laub Oksen	...	Søsteren - Sister
Linda Laursen	...	Birthe

Also Known As:

The Celebration (UK) (USA)
Dogme # 1 - Festen (Denmark) (series title)
Dogme 1 (Denmark)
Festen (UK)
The Celebration: Dogme #1 (Canada: English title) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content and language, including references to sexual abuse.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden

Language:

Danish | German | English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Skjoldenæsholm, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Nimbus Film Productions

Trivia:

28 March 1996:The Danish National Radio (DR) broadcasts "Koplevs Krydsfelt" where the anonymous caller "Allan" tells his story about an unusual speech he held at his step-fathers 60th birthday. One of the many listeners to this strange story is director Thomas Vinterberg who gathers inspiration to his first dogme movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: The sister takes the sheet from one of the chairs twice as she uncovers the furniture.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[subtitled version]
Christian Klingenfeldt: [on his cellphone] Christian speaking... Hi, I'm here now. I landed this morning. What? Er... Washed? I shaved at the airport if you must know. I shaved at the airport if you must know! I'm fine... right now I'm looking across the fields. At the land of my father. It's beautiful. It makes me want to move back for good, but that'd be problematical. I'll make it. Yes, I suppose it will be... shocking. What?... You're dropping out. O.K. Bye.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Storytelling (2001)

Soundtrack:

Jeg har set en rigtig negermand

God bless the Dogme 95!

I always wanted to watch "Festen" since I knew about the Dogme 95. As any Danish movie, it was released in a unique cultural theater. And, as most of the European movies, in less than 3 weeks, it wasn't...

OK, you'll tell the truth: I don't know why but I didn't watch it on a theater, and I could have done it. I waited for its release in video but all the times I went to the videostore I forgot to rent it. But one year after the release on theaters, it was rolling in Eurochannel (a cable-TV channel. It's all about Europe). I couldn't miss that chance so, on a Friday night, at 22:00, I finally watched it. And what an AMAZING film!!!

At first, the plot seems interesting and simple but after 20 minutes you finally realize how strong and provocative Festen really is. It's about one celebration made by the patriarch of the family Kingenfelt in the hotel where he lives. He's commemorating his 60 years. Christian, the older son, makes a speech where secrets are revealed.

The rules of the Dogme 95 as the use of natural light, camera in the hands, etc, help to create a claustrophobic and confidential clime, like nobody knows that someone is filming them. The scenes look incredibly real. Paprika Steen (Helene) and Ulrich Thomsen (Christian) were more than extraordinary. Paprika is a great actress and I can't stand waiting to watch "Idiotern", the second Dogme, in which she's acting again.

"Festen" is not just a worth watching film. It's a worth watching, re-watching, watching again, renting many times and recording to watch it a hundred times. Being the first Dogme, it's a mark in the cinema's history.

Grade - A+