In Festen, a beloved patriarch, surrounded by his wife, his daughter, his two sons and a host of family and friends, is celebrating his 60th birthday at his country home. This promises to be a very special occasion, but as the evening progresses, the man's eldest son, Christian, feels compelled to break the silence surrounding a family secret. Standing to propose a toast, he offers his father—much to the delight of the guests—an amusing yet simple choice. And so the games begin. The theatrical Festen is the result of a David Eldridge dramatization of the Danish 1998 film of the same name.