Force Majeure (2014)

A family vacationing in the French Alps is confronted with a devastating avalanche.

Director:

Ruben Östlund

Writer:

Ruben Östlund

Stars:

Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 31 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johannes Kuhnke	...	Tomas (as Johannes Bah Kuhnke)
Lisa Loven Kongsli	...	Ebba
Clara Wettergren	...	Vera
Vincent Wettergren	...	Harry
Kristofer Hivju	...	Mats
Fanni Metelius	...	Fanny
Karin Myrenberg	...	Charlotte (as Karin Myrenberg Faber)
Brady Corbet	...	Amerikanen
Johannes Moustos	...	Stadaren
Jorge Lattof	...	Tomba
Adrian Heinisch	...	Busschauffören
Michael Breitenberger	...	Rökande mannen
Karl Pincon	...	Turistfotografen (as Karl Pinçon)
Julie Roumogoux	...	Snowboardparet (as Julie Roumegoux)
Peter Gaunt	...	Snowboardparet

Storyline

A Swedish family travels to the French Alps to enjoy a few days of skiing. The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but, during a lunch at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche turns everything upside down. With diners fleeing in all directions, mother Ebba calls for her husband Tomas as she tries to protect their children. Tomas, meanwhile, is running for his life... The anticipated disaster failed to occur, and yet the family's world has been shaken to its core, a question mark hanging over their father in particular. Tomas and Ebba's marriage now hangs in the balance as Tomas struggles desperately to reclaim his role as family patriarch.

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Plot Keywords:

skiing holiday | matronizing | passive aggressive woman | shared bed | manmade avalanche | 

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Taglines:

A film about disasters - both natural and man-made.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [France]

Country:

Sweden France Norway Denmark

Language:

Swedish English French Norwegian

Release Date:

30 December 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Force Majeure

Filming Locations:

Les Arcs, Savoie, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$23,309, 26 October 2014

Gross USA:

$1,359,497

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,094,339

Company Credits

Production Co:

BLS Business Location Südtirol-Alto Adige, Beofilm, Centre National du Cinéma et de L'image Animée (CNC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of Sweden to the best foreign language film category of the 87th Academy Awards 2015. Made the shortlist of 9 films.

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Goofs

The family is skiing in the French Alps, but when Mats and Fanny are waiting for the elevator after their awkward evening with Tomas and Ebba, the directory beside the elevator is in Swedish.

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Quotes

Fanni: There's nothing in your head that you haven't said!

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Connections

Featured in The EE British Academy Film Awards (2016)

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Soundtracks

Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, 'L'estate' (Summer)
Written by Antonio Vivaldi
Arranged by Pavel Fenyuk
Performed by Alexandr Hrustevich

User Reviews

Swedish Skiing holiday and avalanche fall out - type film

A Swedish family is on a break in the French Alps; mother father and daughter and son. They intend to have some 'family time' and do some skiing, on their first day they are having lunch at a mountain top restaurant when they see a 'controlled avalanche'. It though is a bit more boisterous than planned and everyone thinks they are going to be engulfed.

What happens next will cast a pall over the family bigger than the avalanche smoke that settles over them as they realize they are safe.

Now this is one of those films that takes an idea and blows it up big time. The families reactions mean that sides have to be taken and every aspect of their inter familial relationships are brought under a microscope. The acting is all excellent and the effects are stunning as indeed is the landscape. It is in English, Swedish and French with good sub titles. This was Sweden's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards but did not get very far. It is a good film, but not a great one and I read somewhere that this film should not be watched by spouses together - just in case it has resonance with you. I think that may be sage advice - either way this is a film I quite enjoyed and it is memorable too so recommended.