Festen (1998) - EN subs

During a party celebrating the father’s sixtieth birthday, his son reveals a shocking secret that shatters the façade of an apparently perfect family.

Festen won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998 and is still regarded as a masterpiece of modern cinema. With intense performances and a suffocating atmosphere, this film is an emotional rollercoaster that confronts the viewer with themes such as shame, guilt, and forgiveness.

Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen is the first film made according to the Dogme 95 principles—a filmmaking movement founded by Vinterberg himself, together with fellow director Lars von Trier. This minimalist style, using handheld cameras and natural lighting, enhances the raw emotions in this powerful story of family secrets and betrayal.