In Front | A Banquet for the Poor, the Crippled, the Lame and the Blind

The 1987 film, Babette’s Feast, is a classic example of a group of people being called to partake in a lavish banquet. In this Danish/French production, Babette is a woman desperate to find shelter; she’s a refuge from the revolutionary disorder of the late 1840’s in Europe. She’s taken in by two Danish sisters who live in a community of aging Pietistic Protestants. She serves as the sisters’ cook. Unbeknownst to the sisters, in her former life Babette was a master chef. 

The film takes a turn when Babette wins a lottery. This provides the perfect opportunity for her to leave the secluded community and make a new life for herself. Instead Babette decides to give it all away. She does so by holding the most extravagant feast imaginable for the sisters and their austere religious community. She spends the entirety of her winnings to express her thankfulness and love. Her extravagant act has broad impact. The feast causes people in the community to enjoy life and each other in profound new ways.