Discoveries

Involuntary

De Ofrivilliga

Five stories run parallel, without interweaving. Involuntary fragments of time and space are rolled into a narrative where the stories interrupt each other: an accident at a birthday party; a bus ride obstructed by an incident; a couple of Lolitas on a night out who provoke all kinds of tense situations; a teacher determined to face an injustice; and friends playing games that border on homosexuality. With long and deep shots which refuse editing within a single fragment, a constantly still camera, and a "centrifugal" conception of the frame (expressing its whole meaning through the off-camera), Östlund's economy of resources is intentional but just, managing to create a film closer to pure style and contemplation than merely a show.

Ruben Östlund (35) started his career directing short films about skiing and, in 2005, his film "Autobiographical Scene No. 6882" won the Best Short Film Award in Edinburgh. After two documentaries, he filmed the feature films "The Guitar Mongoloid" and "Involuntary"; the latter was presented at the Cannes Film Festival's official selection in 2008.

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