Ruben Östlund wins Palme d'Or

The Swedish director and scriptwriter's latest feature film The Square won the film world’s most prestigious prize. 

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  Director and scriptwriter Ruben Östlund with actors Claes Bang, Terry Notary and Elisabeth Moss from The Square (left to right). Photo: Anna Serner, Swedish Film Institute.

• Swedish director and scriptwriter Ruben Östlund’s latest feature film The Square won the film world’s most prestigious prize, the Palme d’Or, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

• Ruben Östlund’s satirical drama The Square, starring Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West and Christopher Læssø, created quite an impressive festival buzz following its initial screenings at the start of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. The Square, Östlund’s fourth feature film to compete at Cannes, is preceded by Force Majeure (2014), Play (2011) and Involuntary (2008) but is the first to compete for the most prestigious prize of all: the Palme d’Or. As announced at the ceremony on May 28, The Square was awarded the Palme d’Or at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.
  “Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! I am so happy for Ruben and his team. Ruben’s films are a mix of social experimentation and a tradition of literary ideas, and at the point where these two converge he is an extraordinary talent, not just in Sweden but the world over. Moreover, his films inspire discomfort in the audience — in the best possible way.” Pia Lundberg, head of the International Department at the Swedish Film Institute said.
  The Square is produced by Erik Hemmendorff for Plattform Produktion, and received funding from the Swedish Film Institute’s former feature-film commissioner Magdalena Jangard. Coproduction Office is handling international sales, and the film has already been sold to over 50 countries around the world, including the U.S., the UK, France, Brazil, China and Russia.