Festen (1998)

The Celebration (1998)
"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. 

The Hunt (2012)

The Hunt (2012)
"Jagten" (original title)
115 min

Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Writers: Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg
Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp
Country: Denmark
Language: Danish | English | Polish


Lucas, a divorced lonely Danish gave up his secondary school teacher job is now working in a kindergarten. He is so friendly with the kids and suddenly it all shattered when Klara, a little girl in the same institution, more than this, daughter of Luca's soul friend Theo, accused Lucas had showed her his penis and molested her sexually. The whole Danish suburban community appalled and cast him out without considering his portion, believing Klara. Thomas Vinterberg's "The Hunt" is condensing the vapors from an innocent mind to guilt.
"How can a stainless, pure kid can visualize "most deadly sin" without experiencing it? They are so innocent." "The Hunt" is shaking the concreteness of these beliefs in an adult society. Some nods, words from an innocent kid is creating iniquity by erasing the dualness. Ambiguity of this movie is its beauty, and it lies "clearly" in 8every society. All societies are in a way or other guilty, devouring and the same elements in society are raising their fists and voices for purity. To shoot, what they need is only a deer.
The question whether Lucas a culprit or not is not relevant; on the contrary, who is the victim, what criteria build moral boundaries up. The formation of a victim by cultural society, like Lucas, is also the process of immuring him/her in a never-ending hunt.
The Hunt released in 2012 directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen.The film was screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and competed at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival where Mads Mikkelsen won the Best Actor Award for his role, Lucas.