MOVIEmeter
Top 5000
Down 1,138 this week

The Celebration (1998)
"Festen" (original title)

 -  Drama  -  19 June 1998 (Denmark)
8.1
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 8.1/10 from 42,220 users  
Reviews: 237 user | 90 critic

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

Writers:

(screenplay), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
Watch Trailer
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 2339 titles created 4 months ago
 
a list of 1269 titles created 5 months ago
 
a list of 551 titles created 09 Jun 2011
 
a list of 300 titles created 10 months ago
 
a list of 201 titles created 12 Feb 2011
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: The Celebration (1998)

The Celebration (1998) on IMDb 8.1/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of The Celebration.
Top 250 #248 | Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 27 wins & 16 nominations. See more awards »
Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

City of God (2002)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.7/10 X  

Two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer, the other a drug dealer.

Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
Trainspotting (1996)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.2/10 X  

Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

Director: Danny Boyle
Stars: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller
La Haine (1995)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

After local youth Abdel is beaten unconscious by police, a riot ensues on his estate during which a policeman loses his gun. The gun is found by Vinz who threatens he will kill a cop if Abdel dies.

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Stars: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui
A Prophet (2009)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X  

A young Arab man is sent to a French prison where he becomes a mafia kingpin.

Director: Jacques Audiard
Stars: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.6/10 X  

A former neo-nazi skinhead tries to prevent his younger brother from going down the same wrong path that he did.

Director: Tony Kaye
Stars: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.

Director: Joel Coen
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco
The 400 Blows (1959)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

Intensely touching story of a misunderstood young adolescent who left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.

Director: François Truffaut
Stars: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation; it turns into a hostage situation and a media circus.

Director: Sidney Lumet
Stars: Penelope Allen, Sully Boyar, John Cazale
Lilya 4-Ever (2002)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

Lilja is 16 years old. Her only friend is the young boy Volodja. They live in Estonia, fantasizing about a better life. One day, Lilja falls in love with Andrej. He is going to Sweden, and invites Lilja to come along and start a new life.

Director: Lukas Moodysson
Stars: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharskiy, Lyubov Agapova
Tsotsi (2005)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae).

Director: Gavin Hood
Stars: Presley Chweneyagae, Terry Pheto, Mothusi Magano
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.

Director: Shane Meadows
Stars: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.4/10 X  

A man and his son search for a stolen bicycle vital for his job.

Director: Vittorio De Sica
Stars: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Christian
...
Faderen - Helge
...
Michael
...
Helene
Birthe Neumann ...
Moderen - Else
...
Pia
Helle Dolleris ...
Mette
Therese Glahn ...
Michelle
Klaus Bondam ...
Toastmasteren - Master of Ceremonies
Bjarne Henriksen ...
Kokken - Kim
Gbatokai Dakinah ...
Gbatokai
Lasse Lunderskov ...
Onklen - Uncle
...
Receptionisten - Receptionist
Lene Laub Oksen ...
Søsteren - Sister
Linda Laursen ...
Birthe
Edit

Storyline

The Father turns 60. His family, which is a big one of the kind, gathers to celebrate him on a castle. Everybody likes and respects the father deeply...or do they? The Youngest Son is trying to live up to The Father's expectations. He is running a grill-bar in a dirty part of Copenhagen. The oldest son runs a restaurant in France, while the sister is a anthropologist. The older sister has recently committed suicide and the father asks the oldest son to say a few words about her, because he is afraid he will break into tears if he does it himself. The oldest son agrees without arguments. Actually he has already written two speeches. A yellow and a green one. By the table, he asks the father to pick a speech. The father chooses green. The oldest son announces that this is the Speech of Truth. Everybody laughs, except for the father who gets a nervous look on his face. For he knows that the oldest son is about to reveal the secret of why the oldest sister killed herself. Written by Jonas L.

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Every family has a secret. See more »

Genres:

Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content and language, including references to sexual abuse | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

|

Language:

| |

Release Date:

19 June 1998 (Denmark)  »

Also Known As:

The Celebration  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$27,621 (USA) (9 October 1998)

Gross:

$647,523 (Norway) (26 March 1999)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Thomas Vinterberg:  The taxi driver dropping off Helene's boyfriend, Gbatokai See more »

Goofs

The sister takes the sheet from one of the chairs twice as she uncovers the furniture. See more »

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.
See more »

Connections

Featured in Bag om filmen 'Festen' (1998)
footage used in documentary See more »

Soundtracks

"Brudevalsen"
By Niels W. Gade
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
If you haven't seen this... go right now!
22 August 2002 | by (Chicago) – See all my reviews

A film so involving that a score, proper editing, and lighting are hardly missed. You are experiencing this world first hand... and what a screwed up, wonderful journey it is. I can't even begin to go into the story because it would be a crime. You have to see this for yourself. Don't be disuaded by the subtitles or strange look of the movie. Let it run for fifteen minutes and you'll be hooked. This is a powerful, powerful little movie. Guranteed to stay with you days after you've seen it. Do yourself a huge favor and rent this movie asap. If you're fed up with the cookie cutter Hollywood garbage this will be most refreshing.


77 of 96 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
How can so many give this 1? henrik-1988
Sorry for the Father? wlf5876
reaction of the guests damdin
I want to say something about this film cgdsrkmz
What was the other speech about dirty_magic
Festen dvd soundtrack and visual quality Jaffamc
Discuss The Celebration (1998) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?