Force Majeure

About Force Majeure

"Force Majeure," a 2014 Swedish drama film directed by Ruben Östlund, is a study of a familial unit unraveling in the face of unexpected stressful conditions. It centers around a vacationing family in the French Alps who experiences an avalanche scare. Although everyone is safe, their patriarch's apparent cowardice during the crisis causes a rift within the family.

Making / Production

"Force Majeure" was produced by Erik Hemmendorff and Marie Kjellson, under the production company name Plattform Produktion. Shot in the stunning landscape of the French Alps, the film was lauded for its exceptional visual aspect and emotionally charged narrative.

Actors

• Johannes Kuhnke as Tomas: Played the role of a father and husband whose spur-of-the-moment choices during an avalanche cause tension within the family.
• Lisa Loven Kongsli as Ebba: She portrayed the role of Tomas' wife who begins to question her husband's heroism.
• Vincent Wettergren and Clara Wettergren as Vera and Harry: Playing the children, they embodied the confusion and anxiety of their characters in the face of parental discord.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot in Les Arcs, a ski resort in Savoie, France.
• The title, "Force Majeure," refers to an unforeseeable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a contract, mirroring the way the avalanche situation tests the family’s commitment to each other.

Awards

"Force Majeure" won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.

Quotes

• “I am a victim of my own instincts.” - Tomas

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's powerful soundtrack was composed by Ola Fløttum, contributing greatly to the film's tense atmosphere.