"Festen" (original title)
105 min
Directed by
Thomas Vinterberg
Writers: Thomas Vinterberg (screenplay), Mogens Rukov (screenplay)
Stars: Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen
Country: Denmark | Sweden
Language: Danish | German | English
To celebrate the sixtieth birthday of Danish patriarch Helge Klingenfeldt, the family members are assembled at their family hotel, including the eldest son Christian, a successful Parisian restaurateur, daughter Helene and younger Micheal. The charming, animated ceremonial hall soon transforms in to a grotesque, nauseous atmosphere through some words (or call as revelations, even its a cliche) from elder Christain. It mainly centered on the sexual molestation done by the father, Helge Klingenfeldt to his offspring, Christian and Linda (Christan's twin-sister who has committed suicide).
The first movie in Dogma'95 series is absolutely a new experience from Thomas Vinterberg. Film didn't use any artificial lights, optical effects like technological stuffs, no background scores but concentrating on the theme, cinematography thereby bringing the "pure" aesthetics Through razor edged almost hand held cinematography and editing "Festen" advances by screwing the viewers. While seeing the activities of the mass inside a room, the maidservants it smells like Bunuel.
"Victim" is a thorned-crown which is transferred through words and evidences from person to person. In the first portion of movie, the son reveals his mind and saying he was a victim and in the climax the father reveals/admits his crime and transforming to victim. The main thematic difference between Vinterberg's own The Hunt (released in 2011) to Festen is the absence and presence of evidences. Hunt is more puzzling due to the avoidance of evidences but Festen is more concrete.
Film was screened in Cannes Film Festival (1998) and won Jury Prize.
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