Based on the trend of the comments here, I'm in the minority in not being swept away by Festen. The plot device of sexual abuse seems to have awed many viewers here. I think it was well handled and the idea of the father's power over his family and how it is challenged was interesting. However, the dogme rules of hand held digital cameras and natural lighting hurt this film in my opinion. Some hand-held shots are fine, a whole movie full of it is just annoying. I think the good (not great) acting was really compromised by the lack of adequate lighting, giving it almost a Blair Witch feel in some parts, which is no compliment.
As a point of reference, I found myself comparing this film to Pinter's The Homecoming. They both deal with estranged sons coming home to dysfunctional families (though they differ greatly in how the son confronts the father figure). They could not be more different though in execution. In Festen we have the constantly moving camera while in the Homecoming the camera is often static, since it is basically a recording of a stage play. I thought Homecoming was superior in terms of acting (THAT was great acting!) and cinematography. Again, I think the dogme rules actually detracted from the performances in Festen. I would give it a 7 out of 10, mostly for the way the family, immediate and extended, reacts to the confrontation between father and son.
As a point of reference, I found myself comparing this film to Pinter's The Homecoming. They both deal with estranged sons coming home to dysfunctional families (though they differ greatly in how the son confronts the father figure). They could not be more different though in execution. In Festen we have the constantly moving camera while in the Homecoming the camera is often static, since it is basically a recording of a stage play. I thought Homecoming was superior in terms of acting (THAT was great acting!) and cinematography. Again, I think the dogme rules actually detracted from the performances in Festen. I would give it a 7 out of 10, mostly for the way the family, immediate and extended, reacts to the confrontation between father and son.