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Drama

Babette's Feast (1988): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch

Babette's Feast (1988) movie poster

Babette's Feast is a 1988 drama directed by Gabriel Axel, starring Ghita Nørby, Stéphane Audran and Bibi Andersson. It is based on Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $4.6 million worldwide. It won 2 Oscars, including Short Film (Animated) and Foreign Language Film, and 3 awards in all. Critics gave it 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic. Stream it on Criterion Channel and HBO Max, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

Rotten Tomatoes
97%
worldwide gross
$4.6M
Oscars won
2
Metascore
78
Babette's Feast (1988) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 43m (103 min)
Director
Gabriel Axel
Genre
Drama
Original language
Danish
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Babette's Feast About?

The premise of Babette's Feast without spoilers, adapted from Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Two sisters, Martine and Philippa, live a secluded and deeply religious existence on the windswept coast of Jutland. Their lives are forever changed by the arrival of Babette, a refugee from Paris with a talent for exquisite cuisine. Employed as their cook, Babette uses her savings to prepare a lavish feast, intending to repay a debt. The meal’s artistry and flavors challenge the community's strict beliefs and awaken long-dormant desires, subtly transforming their lives and offering a glimpse of a world beyond their sheltered existence.

Babette's Feast Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • cooking
  • feast
  • piano
  • gourmet
  • religion
  • food
  • catholic
  • franco prussian war
  • 1870s
  • 19th century
  • church
  • refugee
+38 more
  • denmark
  • expensive gift
  • french cuisine
  • christian sect
  • unrequited love
  • sister sister relationship
  • self denial
  • rejected lover
  • lottery winner
  • jutland
  • fishing village
  • charity
  • aging
  • orthodoxy
  • wine
  • terrapin soup
  • character name in title
  • military officer
  • cavalry
  • dream sequence
  • housekeeper
  • grocer
  • pastor
  • puritan
  • prayer
  • swedish
  • unspoken love
  • manor
  • hussar
  • opera
  • stockholm sweden
  • backstage
  • royal ball
  • love at first sight
  • widower
  • widow
  • letter
  • beach
Where to watch

Where to Watch Babette's Feast

Stream it on Criterion Channel and HBO Max, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

Babette's Feast Cast

Ghita Nørby leads the cast, with Stéphane Audran and Bibi Andersson. Directed by Gabriel Axel; 10 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Babette's Feast Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Babette's Feast 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic.

Plot

Babette's Feast Plot Summary

What happens in Babette's Feast from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The story revolves around two elderly and devout Protestant sisters, Martine and Filippa, who reside in a quaint village on the isolated western coast of Jutland during the 19th century in Denmark. They are the daughters of a late pastor who established his own Pietistic congregation, now facing a decline in their elderly flock due to the absence of new converts.

Full summary

The whole story of Babette's Feast, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Babette's Feast Box Office

Babette's Feast grossed $4.6 million worldwide. $4.4 million came from the US and Canada and $238,982 (5%) from the rest of the world.

1988 box office

Worldwide gross

$4.6M

US & Canada
$4.4M
International
$239K
US & Canada 95% Rest of the world 5%
Awards

Babette's Feast Awards & Nominations

Babette's Feast won 2 Oscars, including Short Film (Animated) and Foreign Language Film, and 3 awards in all. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1989, with 1 win from 6 nominations.

3 wins8 nominations3 ceremonies

Videos

Babette's Feast Trailers & Videos

4 videos: 2 trailers and 2 featurettes.

Babette's Feast (1988) Trailer
  • Trailer Babette's Feast (1987) - trailer
  • Featurette 'Babette's Feast' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
  • Featurette Three Reasons: Babette's Feast
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Babette's Feast?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What profession did Babette Hersant hold before moving to Jutland?

Details

Babette's Feast Also Known As

25 alternative titles, including “芭比的盛宴” and “芭贝特的盛宴”.

Also known as
  • 芭比的盛宴
  • 芭贝特的盛宴
  • バべットの晚餐会
  • 바베트의 만찬
  • Babettes gjestebud
  • Babettes Fest
  • Il pranzo di Babette
  • El festín de Babette
  • Le Festin de Babette
  • 巴贝特之宴
  • A Festa de Babette
  • Пир Бабетты
+13 more
  • החגיגה של באבט
  • バベットの晩餐会
  • Угощението на Бабет
  • Babette lakomája
  • Uczta Babette
  • Бенкет Бабетти
  • Babettes gästabud
  • Babettina hostina
  • Η Γιορτή της Μπαμπέτ
  • Babette'nin Şöleni
  • Babettina gostija
  • ضیافت بابت
  • El festí de Babette

Seen Babette's Feast?

FAQ

Babette's Feast FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and the book behind it of Babette's Feast, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Babette's Feast?

Babette's Feast runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).

When was Babette's Feast released?

Babette's Feast was released on March 4, 1988.

Who directed Babette's Feast?

Babette's Feast was directed by Gabriel Axel.

More films by Gabriel Axel

Who is in the cast of Babette's Feast?

Babette's Feast stars Ghita Nørby, Stéphane Audran and Bibi Andersson, among 10 credited actors.

Where can I watch Babette's Feast?

In the US, Babette's Feast is streaming on Criterion Channel and HBO Max and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did Babette's Feast make at the box office?

Babette's Feast grossed $4.6 million worldwide ($4.4 million domestic, $238,982 international).

How is Babette's Feast rated?

Babette's Feast has 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.

Is Babette's Feast based on a book?

Yes. Babette's Feast is adapted from Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen.

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