Strand Releasing Acquires North American Rights to ‘Fantastic Machine,’ Sundance Documentary Produced by Ruben Östlund (EXCLUSIVE)
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Strand Releasing has acquired North American rights to “Fantastic Machine,” a documentary which is executive produced by Ruben Östlund (“Triangle of Sadness”) and won Sundance Festival’s Creative Vision Award.
Directed by Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck, “Fantastic Machine” went on to win both the Youth Jury Special Mention and the Cinema Vision 14+ awards at the Berlin Film Festival.
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The documentary examines humanity’s infatuation with images of itself, and the impact that has on an untethered free market flooded with photos from 45 billion cameras worldwide each minute.
“Strand is thrilled to be handling this innovative documentary: ‘Fantastic Machine’ is truly an original vision that Danielson and Van Aertryck have fashioned, and we look forward to taking it out theatrically,” said Strand co-founder Jon Gerrans, who negotiated the North American deal with Ioanna Stais at Heretic. Strand is planning to release the documentary in late 2023 or early 2024.
“I’m delighted we have made this match between Strand Releasing and the bold social commentary and filmmaking of Axel and Max so entertainingly on display in ‘Fantastic Machine,’” Stais said. “I’m excited for audiences in North America to have their opportunity at seeing the film and debating its message!”
Danielson and Van Aertryck previously directed the documentary short “Ten Meter Tower,” which was shortlisted at the Oscars in 2018 and played at Sundance as well as the Berlinale.
“Strand’s legendary reputation for bringing smart, commercial art films to audiences made them our first choice – our journey to audience is in good hands under their stewardship,” said Van Aertryck.
Danielson said Strand will also be giving the documentary an “educational roll-out.” “Our goal is to have every 15-year-old see the film as part of an ‘image-literacy’ based curriculum. We are moving forward with this in Sweden, and with Strands’ help, we hope to do the same in the States,” he said.
“Fantastic Machine” is produced by Östlund’s Swedish banner Plattform Produktion (“Triangle of Sadness,” The Square”). Östlund, a two-time Oscar-nominated and two-time Palme d’Or winner, is also executive producer on the documentary.
“It’s my honor to ‘present’ ‘Fantastic Machine’ to North American audiences,” Östlund said. “The film was born out of the collaborative structure of Plattform Produktion, where we all participate in the creative process of each other’s films. But in this case, the subject matter of ‘Fantastic Machine’ had all of us deep in discussion for the seven years it took to make the film. This is a film designed to provoke, to illuminate, to turn a mirror back on society and ask, ‘What the hell are we all doing?'”
“Fantastic Machine” was co-produced by Sveriges Television, Film I Väst and Bullitt Film along with the support of Svenska Filminstitutet, Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & Tv Fond, Arte G.E.I.E., Swedish Arts Council, Gothenburg Municipality, and See-Through Films.
The documentary was first presented in development at CPH:DOX Forum where it was acquired for broadcast by Arte, and went through Seattle Festival’s new works in progress forum just before picture-lock in 2022.
“Fantastic Machine” has sold to major distributors around the world, including in the U.K. (Picturehouse Entertainment); Australia/New Zealand (Sharmill Films); Italy (Teodora Film); Benelux (September Film); Norway (Fidalgo); Spain (Filmin); Portugal (Alambique); Poland (Against Gravity); Czech Republic (Aerofilms / KVIFF.TV); Slovak Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia (HBO channels and HBO Max); Israel (Lev Cinemas); Estonia (Filmstop OÜ) and Lithuania (Inconvenient Films).
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