The Celebration (1998) Festen (original title)

Writers:

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

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 | 60th Birthday | Celebration | Patriarch

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 27 wins & 16 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
John Boas	...	Farfar - Grand-dad
Erna Boas	...	Farmor - Grandma
Bent Henningsen	...	Statister - Extra
Poul Kajbæk	...	Statister - Extra
Vibeke Dalset	...	Statister - Extra
Janne Thomsen	...	Statister - Extra
Anette Jakobsen	...	Statister - Extra
Poul Petersen	...	Statister - Extra
Gulli Sejrsen	...	Statister - Extra
Vibeke Kaiser	...	Statister - Extra
John Johnsen	...	Statister - Extra
Dan Eilertsen	...	Statister - Extra
Søren Søgreni	...	Statister - Extra
Annette Jakobsen	...	Statister - Extra
Kate Goldschmidt	...	Statister - Extra
Jens Nørring	...	Statister - Extra
Bent Kaiser	...	Statister - Extra
Maria Myrgård	...	Statister - Extra
Peter Krag	...	Statister - Extra
Stig Poul Hansen	...	Statister - Extra
Kaj Rasmussen	...	I Køkkenet - In The Kitchen
Robert Strandgård	...	I Køkkenet - In The Kitchen
Gry Worre Hallberg	...	I Køkkenet - In The Kitchen
René	...	I Køkkenet - In The Kitchen
Christine Louise Jørgensen	...	Børn - Children
Dorte Olofsen	...	Børn - Children
Kasper Olofsen	...	Børn - Children
Emilian Sejersen	...	Børn - Children
Susanne Funck	...	Børn - Children
Rosmarie Jørgensen	...	Børn - Children
Lasse Jacobsen	...	Børn - Children
Sigrid Aalbæk	...	Børn - Children
Mikkel Jacobsen	...	Børn - Children
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Birgitte Simonsen	...	Christian's Friend (uncredited)
Thomas Vinterberg	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Thomas Vinterberg		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Thomas Vinterberg		(screenplay) &
Mogens Rukov		(screenplay)
Thomas Vinterberg		(idea)

Produced by
Birgitte Hald	....	producer
Morten Kaufmann	....	line producer

Original Music by
Lars Bo Jensen

Cinematography by
Anthony Dod Mantle

Film Editing by
Valdís Óskarsdóttir		(as Valdis Oskarsdottìr)

Casting by
Rie Hedegaard
Lene Seested

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eigil Jacobsen	....	assistant director (as Eigil Jakobsen)

Sound Department
Morten Holm	....	sound designer
Bruno Langiano	....	foley artist
Ad Stoop	....	boom operator
Nick Watson	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Kasper Val Bjerregård Larsen	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Hjorth	....	technical supervisor

Stunts
Thomas Bo Larsen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Hjorth	....	additional camera operator
Lars Høgsted	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Thomas Caspersen	....	synchronization: location
Jan Gundtofte-Bruun	....	synchronization: location
Vagn Rose	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Lars Bo Jensen	....	musician: piano

Other crew
Mie Andreasen	....	production staff
Jens Arentzen	....	consultant
Peter Hjorth	....	technical supervisor
Signe Leick Jensen	....	production staff (as Signe Jensen)
Torben Stig Nielsen	....	production staff
Karina Strand	....	production staff
Camilla Thomsen	....	production staff
David C.H. Østerbøg	....	production staff (as David Østerbøg)

Thanks
Jens Arentzen	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Trine Breum	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Susanne Bruun de Neergaard	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to, Skjoldenæsholm Hotel og Konferencecenter
Per Fly	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Karin Trille Høy	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to (as Trille Høy)
Jørgen Kromann	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to (as Jørgen Kromann Larsen)
Ole Christian Madsen	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Birgitte Simonsen	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Ingerlise Vinterberg	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Carsten Walbom	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to
Lone Walbom	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to (as Lone)
Maria Walbom	....	acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to

Production Companies

• Nimbus Film Productions (presents) (produced by) (as Nimbus Film)
• Danmarks Radio (DR) (in collaboration with) (as DR TV)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond (with support from)
• SVT Drama

Distributors

• Arthaus Filmverleih (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (Argentina)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Budapest Film
• Cult Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Europafilm AS (Norway)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Golem Distribución (Spain)
• Homescreen (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Les Films du Losange (France)
• Maywin Media (Russia) (CIS)
• October Films (USA) (subtitled)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Scanbox Entertainment (Denmark)
• Triangelfilm (Sweden)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Versátil (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Mainstream ApS  mix studio
• Panorama  casting
• Skjoldenæsholm Hotel og Konferencecenter  acknowledgment: we are profoundly, unreservedly grateful to

Also Known As:

"Festen" - Denmark (original title)
"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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

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 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Denmark:11

Filming Locations:

Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Nimbus Film Productions

Trivia:

Since this is a Dogme-film, there cannot be any non diegetic (artificial) sounds added, no post-production. The camera also needs to be hand-held. So when Christian falls to the floor in the reception and sees his sister, Christian himself had to hold the camera when falling. To achieve the "dizzy" sound, the original cameraman swung the microphone around in the air.

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:

Featured in Cinema Goes to Dinner (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Jeg har set en rigtig negermand

A highly creative piece of film-making

I have seen this film more than I've bothered to keep track of. That's not to say that I've seen it an unusual amount of times(it's probably not more than three), just that I've never bothered to keep track. Anyway, my point is, every time, it's like seeing it for the first time. I keep discovering things that I must have noticed before, but don't remember seeing earlier. Tonight, I finally realized why; I'm blocking them out. I'm blocking out almost every single second of this film, and here's why; it reminds me of everything I hate about Denmark and being Danish. Everything strangers automatically associate me with, because I'm Danish. Not only does it remind me of it, the film flaunts it, without ever even considering holding back. The way we drink, how superficial we are, how dependent the typical grown male is of women, how racist and ignorant we are... everything. The film effectively airs our dirty laundry to the audience. On this latest viewing, I actually couldn't stand sitting through(a self-contradiction, I know) more than the first half hour... after which I casually followed the rest whilst sitting at my computer, from where I can see the TV screen... when I bother to stretch, so the computer monitor isn't blocking the view. Needless to say, I didn't catch an awful lot of it this way... but what I got was more than enough to disgust me. I can't think of any other movie I have this kind of relationship with... and I know why. I also know why this film has such an impact on me. It's because it's real. True. This is the kind of stuff you don't find in fiction... but in the newspaper, in your own family, in your own people, wherever you're from... the ugly side of us all. The shadow side. What we keep hidden from the outside world, but what we ultimately succumb to if we don't indulge it every once in a while. I chose to center my review for this film around this, because I think it's what really stands out about it. Also, I think we all, by now, know how great the acting, writing and direction is. And, being a Dogme film, it's very creatively filmed, too. So there you have it. A very creative film that puts so much focus on the shadow side of us all, of Danes in particular that is so effective that it actually makes me sick, me, a person who's been watching violent movies since I was twelve and was hardly ever affected by it. I recommend this to anyone who believe they can take it. Definitely not for the faint of heart or very sensitive people. Most people will probably have as strong a negative reaction to this as I did(unless they're far more grounded and at peace with who they are than I am), but don't let that deter you from seeing it. Chances are, you'll love it. If nothing else, you can't claim that it was fake or untrue. 10/10