Festen (1998)

Writers:

Thomas Vinterberg (idea)
Thomas Vinterberg (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:

Disgust | Social Problem | Racial Slur | Family Problems | Spontaneous Sex

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 24 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Ulrich Thomsen	...	Christian Klingenfeldt
Henning Moritzen	...	Faderen / Father Helge Klingenfeldt-Hansen
Thomas Bo Larsen	...	Michael
Paprika Steen	...	Helene
Birthe Neumann	...	Moderen / Mother
Trine Dyrholm	...	Pia
Helle Dolleris	...	Mette
Therese Glahn	...	Michelle
Klaus Bondam	...	Toastmasteren / Master of Ceremony Helmut
Bjarne Henriksen	...	Kokken / Cook
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)

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:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | 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:

Skjoldnæsholm, Jystrup Midtsj, Denmark

Company:

Danmarks Radio (DR)

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:

Featured in "Allemaal film: Betere tijden (#1.9)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Dacapo

A barbecue for Danish family values

Having read about the film makers' "Dogme 95" charter I was expecting something pretty bizarre here but "Festen" (festival, celebration) co-written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg turned out to be the fairly orthodox tale of a traumatic family reunion. The only oddball feature, which added nothing to the dramatic impact, was the deliberately coarse film quality, achieved, it seems, by using a digital video camera. Perhaps "no artistic egos were destroyed in the making of this film" but the impression I got was that somebody competent was in charge, albeit somebody with a taste for odd camera angles.

The story centres around Christian, who travels back to the family country hotel (in Denmark) from his successful Paris restaurant to celebrate his father's 60th birthday. We soon discover the family are a pretty gross lot. There's a nymphomaniac sister, a violent, overbearing younger brother, and a twin sister who has committed suicide. Father is a burly dirty-minded bully with a short fuse "protected" by his elegant but cowed wife. Naturally a family like this has enough dirty linen to fill the hotel laundry which they proceed to reveal in the course of the evening in front of twenty or thirty guests, who, just in case they were thinking of leaving, have had their car keys hidden from them. Complicit in all of this are the long-suffering hotel staff, who can't see it happening to a more deserving bunch of people.

It's a bit difficult to say much about the acting - not understanding Danish is a bit of a barrier- let alone Danish mores. Christian (Ulrich Thomsen) is played as the still centre - we find out about him from what others say- yet he holds our attention throughout. Thomas Bo Larsen as Michael the obnoxious younger brother puts in a full-blooded manic performance and Paprika Steen as their sister Helena gave her role plenty of depth. The father (Henning Moritzen) was a bit two-dimensional - not enough charm to offset his basic nastiness. Among the minor players, I particularly liked Lars Brygman as Lars, the reception clerk, who never loses his (somewhat stunned) composure even as he is lying fully clothed in a bathtub at the behest of Helena looking for ghosts in the ceiling. I also liked Helmuth (Klaus Bondam), the Danish idea of the comic German toastmaster, who after some particularly shocking revelations at the dinner table manages to suggest dessert, coffee and dancing in the lounge - and the stunned guests meekly comply.

There were hints of Bunuel in this movie ("there's nothing charming about the bourgeiose") and perhaps "Last Year in Marienbad." The spirit of Ingmar Bergman was not far away either. The hotel itself, near Stockholm, according to the rather wavery credits, had a pretentious overstuffed, claustrophobic atmosphere that seemed quite appropriate.

Well. I don't know if Dogme 95 has anything new to say about film-making, but this was a watchable story. I think, however, anyone coming from a family like that would avoid reunions at all costs, even if seeking revenge.