THE GUEST

THE GUEST

Directed by

Mads Mengel

Denmark 2026 100 MIN

VIEW SCREENINGS
THE GUEST

Synopsis

Karl and Emilie arrive at a seaside hotel with their infant son, preparing for a weekend celebration during which they will announce the child’s name and welcome him into the family. Their carefully planned gathering is disrupted when Karl’s estranged mother, Vibeke, appears uninvited, determined to reconnect with her children and prove that she can be a grandmother. Karl wants nothing to do with her, while his sister Rikke believes she deserves another chance. As the weekend progresses, old wounds and destructive family patterns resurface, transforming what should have been a joyful occasion into a painful, funny, and unexpectedly tender confrontation with the past.

Gallery

THE GUEST
THE GUEST

Mads Mengel

Mads Mengel is a Danish director and screenwriter and a graduate of the National Film School of Denmark. He has directed a number of short films as well as television productions, including the series Noget om Emma and Suplex. His work has received nominations from the Danish film and television academies. The Guest is his feature-film debut and premiered in the Crystal Globe Competition at the 2026 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where Mengel received the Best Director Award and the film also won the Special Jury Prize. His work combines intimate family drama with humour and close observation of complicated human relationships.

Credits

Director
Mads Mengel
Screenplay
Christian Bengtson, Mads Mengel
Cinematography
David Bauer
Editing
Louis Emil Ramm Seeberg
Music
Lasse Aagaard
Sound Design
Andreas Sandborg
Cast
Trine Dyrholm, Simon Bennebjerg, Josephine Park
Producers
Victor Cunha (Monolit Film)

Screenings

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