FESTEN

Denmark, 1998, 106 minutes, Colour.
Ulrik Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Paprika Steen, Bierthe Neumann.
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg.

Festen was the first of the Dogma 95 films. It shows the tenets of the Dogma manifesto (some rather fundamentalistic ideas about film-making): location photography, hand-held camera, no artificial lighting, no post-synchronised sound…

This means that the film is in many ways difficult to watch, not always clear with its photography, not always smoothly edited. Nevertheless, there is an intensity about the film and its subject, the strength of the performances that make it memorable.

It shows the surface elegance of an upper-class family, gathered to celebrate the birthday of the patriarch. However, underneath the surface and, literally, behind closed doors, the family erupts. The brother who has been exiled from the family returns for the celebration and begins to expose the dark secrets, especially the sexual abuse exercised by the patriarch himself. More shockingly, the son denounces his mother for having seen the abuse and not done anything about it. One of the consequences was the suicide of the younger sister.

There are many other themes that are incorporated, especially in this expose of Danish society. Racism, for instance, is very clear when the daughter brings home her black boyfriend and the family reacts, especially the seemingly respectable younger son who, eventually, becomes the main denouncer of the father.

Thomas Vinterburg went on to make a number of films of a more popular kind including It’s About Love and Dear Wendy. Ulrik Thomsen became more internationally known with performances in such films as Amen, The Inheritors and Brothers.

1. The status of the film? A classic? The Dogma Manifesto? The film adhering to the naturalistic techniques of light, sound, hand-held camera?

2. The impact of the technique, the hand-held camera, the sense of realism? The lighting, the voices? The action? The editing? The musical score?

3. The title, the celebration, the irony? The surface celebration, the birthday, the secrets underlying the smooth surface? The disruption?

4. Danish society, Scandinavian reserve? Middle class, wealth, homes, dinners, celebrations? Masters and servants? The patriarch, the role of the mother?

5. Scandinavian society in Denmark, under the surface, the patriarch and the sexual abuse of his children, the secrecy, the trauma for the children, their not having been healed, Christian’s alienation, Linda’s suicide? The mother and her complicity by knowing, seeing, not confronting her husband? Not supporting her children?

6. The celebration, Helge and his place in the family, his relationship with his wife? Audiences expecting the celebration to be a joyful one? Helene arriving, Michael arriving with his wife and children? Christian and his arrival, not expected, family resentment that he had not come to Linda’s funeral? Michael and his antagonism?

7. Christian, his age, experience, working in Paris, the chef? His decision to come? The attitude towards his father, towards his mother? The clashes with Michael? The relationship with Helene? The servants, past relationships with the chambermaids? His friend Kim, Kim as the chef of the hotel? Kim and his encouragement to speak the truth? The speeches at the party, his denunciation of his father, Michael’s disbelief and antagonism? The maids hiding the car keys, forcing everyone to remain? Christian and his returning to the dinner, his speech attacking Helge and blaming him for the death of Linda? His mother begging him to apologise? His denunciation and exposure of his mother? Christian and his relationship with Pia, the invitation to come with him to Paris? His returning, the healing of his trauma? The effect of his denunciations? The reconciliation with Michael?

8. Michael, brash, successful, relationship with his wife, the children? The past relationship with Michelle and her advances during the celebration? His supporting his father? His not knowing about the abuse? The sudden racism with the arrival of Helene’s boyfriend? His representing Scandinavian society, truth, repression? The effect of the denunciation by Christian, his hostile abuse, beating his father, kicking him? The reconciliation with Christian? His severity and commanding his father to leave the home?

9. The father, the successful businessman, surface respectability? The shock of the denunciation by Christian? His reaction, defensiveness? Yet the truth? His relationship with his wife, his children? Linda’s death? The suicide note and her blaming her father? His confession, the reaction of his children, Michael’s final severity? Elsa, her wanting to make a peaceful household, her complicity with her husband, not supportive of her children?

10. Helene, her arrival, the note, not reading it? In Linda’s room? At the party, the denunciations, her not having had the experiences of Christian and Linda? Her relationship to Michael? The revelations? Her reading the note and exposing her father with the truth of the note?

11. The maids, their place in the household, the past relationship with the sons, flirting, Michelle and Michael, Pia and her being invited to go to Paris? Kim, childhood friend, support of Christian, his work for the celebration?

12. Helene’s boyfriend, the build-up to his coming, the revelation that he was black, the impact of this in Danish society, acceptance, prejudice? Himself as a person, his skills and talents, relationship with Helene?

13. Michael, his wife and children, their being involved in the celebration?

14. An insightful presentation of family, the secrets and lies, trauma and repression, guilt?