Force Majeure director Ruben Ostlund got his start making skiing movies and now finds himself on the Best Foreign Language Oscar shortlist for an existential dramatic comedy that features a giant avalanche. The tidal wave of snow that nearly demolishes a restaurant terrace in the French Alps results in no injuries, but it does fracture a family. The vacationing foursome are eating lunch on that terrace as the snow begins to rush towards them. Mom instinctively grabs her two children to protect them, but dad grabs his cell phone and runs off. The consequences of the father’s actions make up the rest of the plot which asks a lot of divisive questions. In the featurette above, Ostlund and star Johannes Kuhnke discuss the inspiration for the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner and how they captured “the worst man cry ever.”
Nancy Tartaglione
