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A24 Closes Eight-Figure US Rights Deal On Ruben Ostlund’s The Entertainment System Is Down; Deets
His film The Square, which drew inspiration from his personal experiences and an art installation with Kalle Boman, participated in the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and ended up winning the Palme d’Or.
The rights to Ruben Östlund’s The Entertainment System Is Down were acquired by A24 over the weekend. Distribution rights have been obtained for the Swedish director’s following English-language picture, which will be released in the United States on A24 after Triangle of Sadness in 2022. Following The Square’s 2017 Palme d’Or victory, Östlund’s most recent film took up the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
The Entertainment System Is Down has a new home
The Entertainment System Is Down is another social satire in the vein of his earlier work. Still, this time, it takes place on a long journey during which the entertainment system malfunctions and passengers are forced to discover other hobbies. Östlund and his producer, Erik Hemmendorff, purchased a real Boeing 747 specifically for the film.
The movie will have its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, according to Östlund. In addition to Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture, Triangle of Sadness received three Oscar nominations for its film. It included a number of actors, including Woody Harrelson, Charlbi Dean, and Harris Dickinson. “We desired an actual plane because, in many airplane films, characters are often confined to a small space, giving the illusion of a large flight without actually showing it,” Östlund explained to the media. “I am extremely frustrated!”
He mentioned that the next time we witness the couple arguing, there will be approximately 300 people on the scene. “Next, we will utilize the entire airplane instead of just a portion, allowing us to move from the cockpit to the rear with a continuous tracking shot, giving us the sense of being immersed in this environment.”
Östlund’s second English-language film, The Entertainment System Is Down, follows his previous works like The Guitar Mongoloid, Involuntary, Play, Force Majeure, The Square, and Triangle of Sadness. Entertainment System is the next film by Östlund after his award-winning Triangle of Sadness, which received the Palme d’Or in 2022.
ALSO READ: Most Controversial Movies That Got Walkouts and Boos at The Cannes Film Festival
More about Ruben Östlund’s filmography
Similar to the previous film, a social satire, the latest movie takes place on a lengthy flight where the entertainment systems stop working, leading a diverse group of passengers from around the world to confront the terror of boredom. The deadline previously stated that Östlund and his producer, Erik Hemmendorff, acquired a Boeing 747 for the movie. During a Cannes event, he informed the press that he plans to film the production over 70 days on a studio lot.
Östlund’s initial three full-length fiction movies included The Guitar Mongoloid (2004), Involuntary (2008), and Play (2011). The Guitar Mongoloid received the FIPRESCI Award at the 27th Moscow International Film Festival. His short film Incident by a Bank won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival and the Grand Prix at the Tampere Film Festival in 2011.
Alissa Wilkinson from Vox characterized the film as a mix of self-referential nods and playful jabs at the audience, with moments that resemble performance art rather than a traditional movie. It satirizes society through comedy in the art world, targeting all participants regardless of their level of awareness.
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