The Celebration (Festen) 1998

[Indiana Sev]

Anybody else see this wild movie from Thomas Vinterberg? It's part of the "dogme" style of filmmaking and it's probably one of the most original, shocking and touching films to come out of Denmark from the late 1990's.

Can't say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but it's basically a 60th birthday party gone completely off the track. :D


http://adekerma.free.fr/Affiche/festen.jpghttp://www.filmfestivals.com/berlin99/img/festen.jpg

[Shakamaker]

Originally posted by Indiana Sev
Anybody else see this wild movie from Thomas Vinterberg? It's part of the "dogme" style of filmmaking and it's probably one of the most original, shocking and touching films to come out of Denmark from the late 1990's.

Can't say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but it's basically a 60th birthday party gone completely off the track. :D


http://adekerma.free.fr/Affiche/festen.jpghttp://www.filmfestivals.com/berlin99/img/festen.jpg

No, but I've seen Elsker dig for evigt aka Open Hearts which was my first dogme film experience. I've since been recommended Festen, and just found a place in Melbourne to rent it. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Indiana Sev]

Originally posted by Shakamaker
No, but I've seen Elsker dig for evigt aka Open Hearts which was my first dogme film experience. I've since been recommended Festen, and just found a place in Melbourne to rent it. I'm really looking forward to it.

Hold onto your seat, it's a wild ride!

I give it a 10/10. It's that good.

Let us know your thoughts when you're done...

[Psychocandy]

I switched on the TV late one night and started flicking the channels. Nothing much on so I left it on a foreign flick on Channel 4 and settled down. Even though I was tired as hell and didn't think I would last much more than ten or fifteen minutes I found myself drawn so deeply into the story and the characters that populated it that I got out of bed splashed water on my face and settled down to watch the entire movie. It was Festen and I really want to see it again. A masterpiece of black humour and tragic circumstance. 5/5

[BadCoverVersion]

A bona fide masterpiece...and one I've only recently gotten round to viewing. What was I thinking I ask ye?

Festen is poignant, unique, powerful, shocking and darkly comedic. The story is so utterly engrossing that I didn't even feel myself shift from mere voyeur to unwilling guest. By the time the credits rolled I half expected to find a doggy bag by my side.

Each scene is a winner; from the sheer chaos of the opening driving sequences to the rabble-rousing racist chorus which is quite simply car crash viewing - much like the all-important family speeches and the impromptu Birthday conga...which is pure pomp, and SO fitting!

Oh, and the performances are top class.

I love this film.

10/10

[Paterfamilias]

Just watched Festen last week. I was thoroughly engaged. The Speech is one of the better scenes I have seen on film in quite some time. I agree with BCV, I felt like i was there. I kind of squirmed in my chair a bit, coughed nervously, etc. Wonderful.

4/5

[Buck Turgidson]

I saw this a few years ago. It's the only Dogma95 film that really achieves that sort of gutwrenching realism that I think they aimed for. In fact, it's the only Dogma95 film I've ever seen that didn't make me want to kill all of the particapants and then scratch out my own eyes.

It is exceptionally intense.

On a dark comic note, I always think of this when people talk about how holiday dinners at their relatives houses were disastrous. "Baby, you ain't seen a disaster until you've seen The Celebration" :D