The Celebration

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The Celebration

R

Released May 2, 1998

1h 45m

Drama

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A dark secret mars a Dane's (Henning Moritzen) 60th birthday celebration, attended by his family (Ulrich Thomsen, Thomas Bo Larsen) and friends.

Critics Consensus

As sharp and ruthless as the family dynamic that powers its plot, The Celebration blends tragedy and comedy to brilliant effect.

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Caroline Rees

Empire Magazine

There's no denying that some of the Dogme strictures inject urgency and surprise into what could have been a tediously static affair.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 22, 2020

Full Review

Paul Tatara

CNN.com

I'll be thinking about this movie for a long time to come.

Sep 22, 2020

Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

A funny, volatile, visually dynamic story about the unraveling of one extended family during the course of a patriarchal 60th-birthday dinner.

Rated: A-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Vinterberg’s dedication to the tenets of Dogma 95 creates an endlessly manic air to the party’s fraying niceties...until their secrets, anxieties, and wholly animalistic natural tendencies are all laid bare.

Jul 12, 2025

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Vinterberg is able to work with the shocking claim and the farce of familial gatherings and personal faults in one of the more refreshing movies of the time.

Feb 22, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Celebration transcends the movement, even while its narrative exists in symbolic, dramatic harmony with Dogme 95's attitude toward cinematic conventions.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 12, 2022

Full Review

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Vítor Pimentel de Oliveira V

The inauguration of the Dogma 95 movement, this movie it's a punch in your stomach that somehow gets undermined by its frantic approach.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

Dani G

An example that good filmmaking doesn't need big budgets or incredible visuals to be great. One of the most representative films of Dogma 95

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/29/24

Full Review

Mason M

The Celebration may just mostly be known for being the first film of the Dogme 95 movement, but it's also so much more than that. This is an amazing film that is extremely funny at times, and shocking in others. The restrictions in the filmmaking actually heavily help this film, letting the amazing writing and interesting character dynamics shine. The handheld camera work also makes for some of the most interesting shots I've seen in a movie. The Celebration is an interesting exercise in filmmaking, and a great film on its own too. This is a must-see for any fan of interesting films.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/16/24

Full Review

Alexsander F

Isso sim é um filme autoral e de vanguarda, da maneira que eu gosto "câmera na mão e ideia na cabeça", um longa experimental e fantástico, o (Dogma 95), é um movimento do qual sou um grande entusiasta.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/02/24

Full Review

Sam F

Even if sick from the hand-held camera, this was an amazing, must see display of truth in the face.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

Full Review

TrueBlueReview I

An emotional roller coaster, authentic to its core, and deeply effecting. I have seen few movies like it. Vacillating between dark comedy and utter melancholy, the strands of trauma run taut throughout this claustrophobic piece of bold filmmaking as it unfolds in real time. Each character has a purpose, each scene keeps you engaged. Ulrich Thomsen is phenomenal.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/07/23

Full Review

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Thomas Vinterberg

Director

Ulrich Thomsen

Christian Klingenfeldt

Henning Moritzen

Faderen

Thomas Bo Larsen

Michael

Paprika Steen

Helene

Birthe Neumann

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Synopsis

A dark secret mars a Dane's (Henning Moritzen) 60th birthday celebration, attended by his family (Ulrich Thomsen, Thomas Bo Larsen) and friends.

Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Producer: Birgitte Hald
Screenwriter: Thomas Vinterberg, Mogens Rukov
Distributor: October Films
Production Co: Nimbus Film, SVT Drama, Nordisk Film & TV-Fond, Danmarks Radio
Rating: R (References to Sexual Abuse|Language|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: Danish
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby
Aspect Ratio: Academy (1.33:1)