The Congress (2013)

An aging, out-of-work actress accepts one last job, though the consequences of her decision affect her in ways she didn't consider.

Director:

Ari Folman

Writers:

Stanislaw Lem (novel), Ari Folman (screenplay)

Stars:

Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm

10 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robin Wright	...	Robin Wright
Harvey Keitel	...	Al
Sami Gayle	...	Sarah
Jon Hamm	...	Dylan Truliner (voice)
Kodi Smit-McPhee	...	Aaron Wright
Danny Huston	...	Jeff
Michael Stahl-David	...	Steve
Paul Giamatti	...	Dr. Barker
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Childs	...	CGI capture

Storyline

An aging, out-of-work actress accepts one last job, though the consequences of her decision affect her in ways she didn't consider.

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | satire | dystopia | cinema | tom cruise character | 

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Taglines:

What would you give for an eternal youth? [Scandinavian Blu-ray]

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Genres:

Animation | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The interior of the huge dome where the futuristic Congress takes place, during the animated sequence, is based on the Reich's Great Hall, a massive project made by Adolf Hitler and his Minister of Defense, Albert Speer. The building, if it had been built, would have been one thousand feet tall, and able to house fifteen thousand spectators, making it the largest interior space up to date.

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Quotes

Robin Wright: Does that make sense? Or is this just in my mind?
Robot: Ultimately, everything make sense. And everything is in our mind.

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Connections

References Top Gun (1986)

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Soundtracks

Trio in E flat major, Opus 100 D. 929 - Andante con moto
Composed by Franz Schubert
Arranged/Interpreted by Max Richter

User Reviews

Ari Folman is a genius

The first 40 minutes of the films are in live action where Robin Wright plays a version of herself who's promising acting career didn't really flesh out after her success in the 80's and 90's while her while taking care of her family and the film industry is revolutionizing itself by using scans of actors to make films. Then for the next hour, it turns into an animated film which stays close to the novel The Futurological Congress, a completely surreal experience.

The first stands as a commentary on how the film industry is exploiting artists and the fascist standpoint of the studios along with all the ethical and moral conundrums. But it's when the animated section starts that we understand that it's actually a much wider problem we are seeing here, it's not just the film industry but the whole world that is forgetting the true nature of being human and is embracing the virtual world of lies.

Although it throws some of its concept on your face and may feel a little over ambitious to some it's an epic journey that is truly a unique experience. Ari Folman is definitely a genius helming films like this one and Waltz With Bashir

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Israel Germany Poland Luxembourg Belgium France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 2013 (France)

Also Known As:

Le congrès

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

PLN34,148,170 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,640, 31 August 2014

Gross USA:

$137,815

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$758,754

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bridgit Folman Film Gang, Pandora Filmproduktion, Opus Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1