After the Wedding

After the Wedding is a 2006 Danish-Swedish drama film directed by Susanne Bier and starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sidse Babett Knudsen. The film was a critical success and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but lost to The Lives of Others. Plot Jacob Petersen manages an Indian orphanage. With a small staff, he works as hard as he can to keep the orphanage afloat and is personally invested in the young charges—particularly Pramod, whom he has cared for since his birth. The orphanage has been in danger of collapse for eight years and faces bankruptcy. A Danish corporation offers a substantial donation to maintain the orphanage if Jacob returns to Denmark, where he grew up, to receive the donation in person. Apparently the CEO, Jørgen Hannson, wishes to meet Jacob. Upset when he learns that Jacob must travel to Copenhagen, Pramod insists that he return for Pramod's birthday, which is in eight days. Jacob departs for Denmark; once there he's greeted by a driver and a young man named Christian and checked into a luxurious suite paid for by the corporation. Jacob meets with Jørgen, who says he's still considering which project to fund. This surprises Jacob, who had understood that the decision was already made. Christian is marrying Jørgen's daughter Anna and Jørgen invites Jacob to the wedding. During the ceremony, Jørgen's wife Helene notices Jacob. They are formally introduced during the reception, but not for the first time: 20 years earlier, she was the love of his life, but he was unfaithful with her best friend and they broke up.