Festen

A family reunion turns both incredibly dark and unexpectedly hilarious, in the infamous first film of the Dogme 95 movement initiated by director Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier.

When a family gathers to celebrate the patriarch’s 60th birthday the reunion turns both dark and hilarious, sometimes both at the same time. Festen was the first film of the Dogme 95 movement initiated by Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier, an influential filmmaking manifesto that emphasised story, theme, acting and simple production values over special effects, elaborate lighting and technology.