Oscar nominee profile: Ruben Ostlund (‘Triangle of Sadness’) would be 1st Swedish directing champ

Of the 94 filmmakers who have clinched the coveted Palme d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, only 10 have achieved the honor twice. The latest one to follow the dual win precedent established by Alf Sjoberg (1944’s “Torment” and 1951’s “Miss Julie”) is another Swedish director, Ruben Ostlund, whose first and second victories came for 2017’s “The Square” and 2022’s “Triangle of Sadness.” The latter film has, by all accounts, become his most successful yet and is now in the running for three Oscars, including Best Director.

In this year’s directing Oscar race, Ostlund faces Todd Field (“TAR”), Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) and Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”). The Daniels are also first-time Oscar nominees, while Spielberg stands as the only past directing contender in the group, with a pair of wins for “Schindler’s List” (1993) and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) and six more previous bids to his name. Field and McDonagh have a combined total of seven past nominations, most of which were for writing.

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SEEOscars Best Picture nominee profile: ‘Triangle of Sadness’ would be third Cannes winner to take top prize

The plot of “Triangle of Sadness,” which is divided into three distinct chapters, primarily revolves around the points of view of a couple of young fashion models (Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean) who get more than they bargained for by embarking on a free yacht cruise. As increasingly dire weather conditions threaten to bring their vacation to an abrupt end, their and the other passengers’ most vulnerable qualities are exposed and the crew members are tested like never before.

Ostlund has also received an Oscar nomination for writing this film’s original screenplay, while producers Philippe Bober and Erik Hemmendorff share its Best Picture bid. Aside from “The Square,” which contended for the Best International Film Oscar against eventual winner “A Fantastic Woman,” Ostlund’s directing filmography includes the BAFTA and Independent Spirit Award-nominated “Force Majeure” (2014) and international festival hits “Involuntary” (2008) and “Play” (2011).

SEEOscar spotlight: Ruben Ostlund’s ‘Triangle of Sadness’ is a bold, visually arresting directorial feat

If Ostlund triumphs on his initial Best Director outing, he will make history as the first Swedish victor in the category’s history. The three others from Sweden who unsuccessfully vied for the prize are Jan Troell (“The Emigrants,” 1972), Ingmar Bergman (“Cries and Whispers,” 1973; “Face to Face,” 1976; “Fanny and Alexander,” 1983) and Lasse Hallstrom (“My Life as a Dog,” 1987; “The Cider House Rules,” 1999). The only other Nordic filmmakers who have ever been recognized here are Morten Tyldum (Norwegian; “The Imitation Game,” 2014) and Thomas Vinterberg (Danish; “Another Round,” 2020).

This article is a part of Gold Derby’s “Oscar nominee profile” series spotlighting the 2022 Best Picture nominees.

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