IMDb 8.0 (77,000+) RT 91%
15 | 1h 45min | Drama | Denmark
Director: Thomas Vinterberg (uncredited)
Writers: Thomas Vinterberg (screenplay), Mogens Rukov (screenplay)
Stars: Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen
At Helge's 60th birthday party, some unpleasant family truths are revealed.
Crazy.
With a budget of US$1.3 million, the film tells the story of a family gathering to celebrate their father's 60th birthday. It is a dark comedy juggling subjects of death, trauma and family. Vinterberg was inspired to write it with Mogens Rukov, based on a hoax broadcast by a Danish radio station.
It was the first Dogme 95 film, an artistic movement created by Danish directors Vinterberg and Lars von Trier. The movement preferred simple and analogue production values to allow for the highlighting of plot and performance. Festen was selected as the Danish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. In addition, it won the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 1998.