NOR26: The Guest

Australian premiere

Trine Dyrholm (Second Victims, Beginnings) stars as an estranged mother determined to prove herself in this sharply observed drama about a family trying to hold it together when everything starts to fall apart.

At a luxury seaside hotel, Karl (Simon Bennebjerg) and Emilie are preparing for their son’s naming celebration. The day before the party, Karl’s estranged mother Vibeke (Dyrholm) suddenly arrives unannounced. Hoping to rejoin the family and prove herself as a grandmother, she inserts herself into the intimate weekend gathering. While Karl is furious and wants her gone, his sister Rikke insists that there won't be any issues and Vibeke deserves a second chance.

Over the weekend, tensions rise; old patterns resurface, and long-buried family dynamics play out in front of confused in-laws and curious guests. What begins as a celebration quietly unravels into a confrontation with the past, filled with unresolved conflicts and moments of surprising warmth. 

Told with humour and heart, Mads Mengel's feature film debut The Guest is an intimate story about family, forgiveness, and the roles we inherit from our parents.  

Festivals

OFFICIAL SELECTION – Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2026

2026 | Denmark
Danish with English subtitles