Film School Radio hosted by Mike Kaspar

Force Majeure, Director Ruben Östlund

Force Majeure poster

A critical favorite at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it took the Jury Prize in Un Certain Regard, this wickedly funny and precisely observed psychodrama tells the story of a model Swedish family—handsome businessman Tomas, his willowy wife Ebba and their two blond children —on a skiing holiday in the French Alps. The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but, during a lunch at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche suddenly bears down on the happy diners. With people fleeing in all directions and his wife and children in a state of panic, Tomas makes a decision that will shake his marriage to its core and leave him struggling to reclaim his role as family patriarch. Director / Writer Ruben Östlund joins us to talk about the exploration of gender roles, cultural perceptions and the idea of “every man for himself.”

For news and updates on Force Majeure go to: magpictures.com/forcemajeure/

“As a slow-burn melodrama, “Force Majeure” is expertly crafted.” – Eric Kohn, indieWIRE

“The “pleasure” of Östlund is in his command of silence and detail. A sigh or physical twitch says more than a line of dialogue, and what it says is more alarming and more provocative than anyone bargains for.” – Colin Fraser, FILMINK

“Easily one of the films of the year; a must-see, and on the big screen, so you can’t escape. You’ve got to just sit there, and squirm.” – CJ Johnson, ABC Radio

“Ruben Östlund masterfully manages the marital tensions that drive the film’s plot forward while imbuing the scenario with these carefully layered philosophical reflections.” – Tomas Horchard, Slant Magazine