Celebration

Theatrical Release Date: 1998 10 16 (USA)

UPC: 025192548222

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Adult Situations, Adult Humor]

Summary: This Danish comedy drama won the Jury Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. It opens in rural Denmark as family members assemble for the 60th birthday celebration of patriarch Helge (Henning Moritzen). At the family estate are Helge's children: France-based restaurateur Christian (Ulrich Thomsen), whose twin sister killed herself; surviving sister Helene (Paprika Steen); and younger brother Michael (Thomas Bo Larsen), married with three children. At the birthday dinner, the bitter Christian stands to deliver a toast -- but instead makes a startling speech accusing Helge of sexual abuse involving both twins. Following principles outlined in 1995 by Danish fimmakers in their Dogme 95 proclamation, this film adheres to their manifesto guidelines of handheld cameras, direct sound, location filming, and the elimination of technical tricks. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Category: Comedy Drama

Awards: Best Foreign Language Film – French Academy of Cinema Best Foreign Language Film – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Foreign Language Film – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Jury Prize – Cannes Film Festival Best Foreign Film – Independent Spirit Awards Best Picture [Runner-up] – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Director [Runner-up] – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Foreign Film – New York Film Critics Circle

Features: [None specified]

Celebration

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 07/27/2004

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: DDM2.0 Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Runtime: 106 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Not Invited (Main Titles) [6:06]
2. Missed Your Sister's Funeral [4:01]
3. Something Important to Say [3:57]
4. Feeling Bad Vibes [5:39]
5. "Getting Warmer" [6:10]
6. Help Things Run Smoothly [3:59]
7. A Very Clean Man [8:06]
8. Don't Run Away [5:45]
9. Look Who's Coming to Dinner [5:05]
10. A Toast to the Murderer [10:31]
11. Get Rid of Him [11:29]
12. You're All Crazy [4:28]
13. The Grand Finale [4:16]
14. Reading of the Letter [6:57]
15. My Sister's Here [3:13]
16. This Family Is Broken [6:42]
17. Unforgivable [6:05]
18. End Titles [2:38]

Lucia Bozzola

Made according to the principles of the Danish Dogme 95 film movement, designed to free filmmaking from glossy clich?s, Thomas Vinterberg's The Celebration (1998) turns Dogme's technical limits into a stylistic vehicle for a family gathering that takes an unexpected turn. Following Dogme's vows of cinematic purity, Vinterberg shot on location using only hand-held cameras and natural light and sound, creating an intimate atmosphere throughout the long night of the party. With video cameras that are less obtrusive than film cameras might have been, Vinterberg zeroes in on private moments of emotional revelation, as well as the public pronouncements of incest, allowing the sterling cast of actors to play out a complex range of feelings. Veering from black comedy to family tragedy, from sexual farce to restrained drama, the film uses mobile shots and jarring edits to keep the viewer as off-balance as the partygoers. Though the tight screenplay structure harks back to the styles of Ingmar Bergman, Jean Renoir, and Luis Bu?uel, the deceptively low-tech, shock-cut visuals move The Celebration beyond art-cinema homage. Winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, among other festival and critics' prizes, The Celebration became Dogme 95's first international arthouse success. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Brigitte Hald  Producer 
Thomas Vinterberg  Director 
Thomas Vinterberg  Screenwriter 
Ulrich Thomsen  Actor 
Henning Moritzen  Actor 
Thomas Bo Larsen  Actor 
Paprika Steen  Actor 
Birthe Neumann  Actor 
Trine Dyrholm  Actor 
Helle Dolleris  Actor 
Therese Glahn  Actor 
Klaus Bondam  Actor 
Bjarne Henriksen  Actor 
Gbatokai Dakinah  Actor 

Country: Denmark