Festen

Synopsis

At a party celebrating the father’s 60th birthday, his son reveals a shocking secret that shatters the facade of a seemingly perfect family. Festen won the Jury Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival and is still considered a masterpiece of modern cinema. With intense acting and a haunting atmosphere, the film is an emotional rollercoaster that confronts the viewer with themes of shame, guilt and forgiveness. Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen is the first film to be made in accordance with the principles of Dogme 95, a film association founded by Vinterberg himself, together with his colleague Lars von Trier. This minimalist film style, with hand-held cameras and natural lighting, reinforces the raw emotions of this story of family secrets and betrayal.