Two Palme d'Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival distinguish the filmography of Swedish director Ruben Östlund. Born in 1974 at Styrsö, he transitioned from filming amateur skiing sequences in the Alps to creating complex satirical features that scrutinize human behavior, social structures, and the habits of the global elite.
Early Career and Education
Östlund attended the Valand School of Fine Arts in Gothenburg, graduating in 2001. His early entry into the film industry was facilitated by skiing videos he produced while working at Alpine resorts. Together with producer Erik Hemmendorff, he established Plattform Produktion, the company responsible for his feature projects. His debut fiction features included The Guitar Mongoloid in 2004, followed by Involuntary in 2008 and Play in 2011. During this decade, he also secured international recognition for short films, including the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival for Incident by a Bank.
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The director gained broader prominence with the 2014 release of Force Majeure, which received the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. His 2017 project, The Square, incorporated elements from his own experiences and collaborative art installations with Kalle Boman. The film secured the Palme d'Or at Cannes. He followed this with Triangle of Sadness in 2022, a satire focusing on the wealthy elite. This work earned him a second Palme d'Or, marking him as a significant figure in contemporary European cinema.
Awards and Industry Positions
Throughout his career, Östlund has accrued numerous accolades. In 2012, he received the Nordic Council Film Prize. His performance in 2017 yielded the European Film Award for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter, and Best Comedy, alongside the Guldbagge Award for Best Director. In 2022, he again claimed the European Film Award for Best Director and Best Screenwriter. His contributions to the medium were further acknowledged in 2020 with the King’s medal in gold. In 2023, he served as the President of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival.
Fast facts
- Born: 1974, Styrsö, Sweden
- Education: Valand School of Fine Arts
- Cannes Palme d'Or Wins: 2017, 2022
- Nordic Council Film Prize: 2012
- Cannes Jury President: 2023
- Primary Occupations: Director, Screenwriter, Producer
Questions readers ask
Which major awards has Ruben Östlund won?
He has won the Palme d'Or twice, in 2017 for The Square and in 2022 for Triangle of Sadness, among various European Film Awards and a Guldbagge Award.
What was his role at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival?
He served as the President of the Jury.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and film producer
