20/05/2008

Following in the footsteps of his role model Roy Andersson, Ruben is Östlund is this year’s Swedish touch in Un Certain Regard, delivering with his second feature film Involuntary [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Erik Hemmendorff
interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile], shown yesterday at Cannes, a comedy drama with one central idea built around five separate stories.

Why does an individual act in a certain way when in a group – disregarding right and wrong, their own dignity and common sense – and to what extent? This central theme is drawn from five portrayals of contemporary Swedish society across varying age groups and social backgrounds: teenage girls caught in the binge drinking culture and YouTube influence; male friends in their 30s enjoying sexual freedom on a weekend away; a teacher taking a stand against her colleagues’ behaviour; an elderly man accidentally hurt during his birthday celebration who wants to put on a brave face; and an actress on a bus, caught in a situation where she lets someone else take the blame for something she has done.

Although the situations are involving, the stories are often cut short when unease starts to build, or to build a sense of frustration for the viewer. Östlund sometimes films with a stationary camera (like in his previous film The Guitar Mongoloid), adding awkward, often amusing, angles, such as the opening scene, in which the camera films a conversation at foot level.

Involuntary was produced by the filmmaker’s company Plattform Produktion (co-founded by film school friend Erik Hemmendorff) in co-production with Film i Väst and Swedish public broadcaster SVT, and with support from the Swedish Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

Sales are being handled by The Coproduction Office.