FESTEN

CategoryPlay
AgegroupAdults
Cast20 total (8 F and 12 M)
Variable cast sizeNo
RepresentationWorldwide representation
LanguagesDanish, Norwegian, English, French, German, Icelandic, Italian

The Celebration takes place in rural Denmark as family members assemble for the 60th birthday celebration of patriarch Helge. At the family estate are Helge’s children: France-based restaurateur Christian, whose twin sister killed herself; surviving sister Helene and younger brother Michael, married with three children. At the birthday dinner, the bitter Christian stands to deliver a toast, but instead he makes a startling speech accusing Helge of sexual abuse involving both twins. This Celebration won the Jury Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival and the dramatization has been staged all over the world.