Efter brylluppet (2006)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writers:

Anders Thomas Jensen (screenplay) and
Susanne Bier (story)

Release Date:

24 February 2006 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

champagne is poured... secrets are spilled.

Plot:

A manager of an orphanage in India is sent to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he discovers a life-altering family secret.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | India | Orphanage | Secret | Copenhagen Denmark

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 9 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Mads Mikkelsen	...	Jacob Pederson
Neeral Mulchandani	...	Pramod, 8 year
Tanya Sharma	...	Indisk Pige 1
Swini Khara	...	Indisk Pige 2
Meenal Patel	...	Mrs. Shaw
Vallabh Gada	...	Suit No. 1
Hitesh Kotak	...	Suit No. 2
Suhita Thatte	...	Indisk Kvinde
Rolf Lassgård	...	Jørgen Lennart Hannson
Dispesh Mistry	...	Pramods Venner
Shivam Vicha	...	Pramods Venner
Frederik Gullits Ernst	...	Martin Hannson
Kristian Gullits Ernst	...	Morten Hannson
Sidse Babett Knudsen	...	Helene Hannson
Mona Malm	...	Farmor (Grandmother)

Also Known As:

After the Wedding (International: English title)
Efter bröllopet (Sweden)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden

Language:

Danish | Swedish | Hindi | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:11 | Sweden:7 | Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-11 | Brazil:12 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Argentina:13 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB)

Filming Locations:

Denmark

Company:

After the Wedding

Trivia:

At a showing at a film festival in Estonia, two of the reels had been switched by a mistake, making a part of the film out of place. Apparantly the majority of the audience didn't notice and was generally very enthusiastic about the movie despite the narrative being mixed up.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jacob signs the contract, his name is spelled "Jakob" on the contract. But when Jacob first meets up with Christian, he makes it clear that his name is spelled with a "c" as in "Jacob".

Quotes:

Jørgen Lennart Hannson: Do I have to live on the other side of the world to get your help?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's Raining Men

Denmark and India are worlds apart

Efter brylluppet (2006), written and directed by Susanne Bier, is a Danish film shown in the U.S. with the title "After the Wedding."

The film is like a jigsaw puzzle that has been started but not completed. As the story progresses, pieces are added to the puzzle one at a time. There are secrets upon secrets, and memories upon memories. Only one character knows the entire story, and he is hiding a secret of his own.

The film begins in India, and the footage shot there has the ring of truth about it. Most of the film concerns wealthy people living in Denmark. The contrast between the poor in India and the wealthy in Scandinavia is immense. (Actually, it's more than that--it defies description.)

The person who travels between India and Denmark--Jacob--is the link between these two worlds. He works in an orphanage in India, and he is sent to Denmark to convince a billionaire businessman to fund the project. The plot unfolds slowly, in a subtle and unpredictable manner. There are many ambiguities, and not all of these are sorted out by the end of the film.

The acting is extremely good, with outstanding lead actors and an excellent supporting cast. If I had to single out one actor for praise, it would be the extraordinarily talented Sidse Babett Knudsen, who plays Helene, the wife of the wealthy business man. Ms. Knudsen turns in a nuanced and satisfying performance that is a pleasure to watch.

This exceptional film was appropriately nominated for an Oscar. It's certainly one of the best movies of 2006, and deserves wider distribution so that more people can see it.