05/02/2024 - Staged by Ruben Östlund’s Plattform Produktion, the picture is inspired by Karl-Göran Persson, a real-life farmer known as a good Samaritan on the verge of madness

Artist and filmmaker John Skoog’s sophomore feature, Redoubt, is now in post-production. According to Variety, the outlet that first reported the announcement, the picture is “a narrative film that expands on Skoog’s video installation by the same name, which won the prestigious Baloise Art Prize in 2014, and is also part of the artist’s exhibition Walls”.

Previously, Skoog helmed a short documentary, Shadowland, which vied for the Golden Bear in 2015, and the 2019 feature Ridge [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], whose synopsis describes it as “a story composed of fragments of lives lived in the periphery”.

The new black-and-white, 35 mm film, penned by Skoog together with Kettil Kasang, draws inspiration from Karl-Göran Persson, a real-life farmer known as a good Samaritan on the verge of madness, who lived near the helmer’s home town of Kvidinge during World War II. After receiving a warning by the Swedish government of potential strikes by the Soviet army, he sets off to turn his house into a fortified shelter for fellow villagers.

The story of Redoubt, however, will unfold during the second half of the 20th century, “post-World War II, but before the internet became something for everyone and before the fall of the Berlin Wall”. The movie was shot in two parts, with the first taking place in summer and the second set ten years later, in winter.

The leading role is played by 62-year-old thesp Denis Lavant, who is best known for his work with director Leos Carax in films such as Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, The Night Is Young and Holy Motors [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Leos Carax
film profile]. The main cast is rounded off by Agnieszka Podsiadlik (Ridge, World on Fire, Prime Time [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jakub Piątek
film profile]), Michalis Koutsogiannakis (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Niels Arden Oplev
interview: Søren Stærmose
film profile]) and Livia Millhagen (The Sunny Side [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

The key crew members are DoP Ita Zbroniec Zajt (Ridge, Alma [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Woman on the Roof [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Anna Jadowska
film profile]), editor Jussi Rautaniemi (Natatorium [+see also:
film review
film profile], Alice & Jack, Compartment No. 6 [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Juho Kuosmanen
film profile]) and production designer Søren Schwartzberg (Wild Men [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Thomas Daneskov
film profile], Margrete: Queen of the North [+see also:
trailer
interview: Charlotte Sieling
film profile], The Keeper of Lost Causes [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Eugenio Mira
film profile]).

Redoubt is being produced by Erik Hemmendorff and Caroline Drab for Ruben Östlund’s banner Plattform Produktion (Sweden), in co-production with Film i Skåne (Sweden), Film i Väst (Sweden), SVT (Sweden), BCD Film (Sweden), Bufo (Finland), Lemming Film (Netherlands), No.Mad Films (Italy) and Paloma Production (Denmark), and in association with Bord Cadre Films (Switzerland) and Sovereign Films (UK).

Erik Hemmendorff’s credits include hits such as the Palme d’Or-winning films The Square [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile] and Triangle of Sadness [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ruben Östlund
interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile], as well as Mia Hansen-Løve’s Bergman Island [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] and Ninja Thyberg’s Pleasure [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninja Thyberg
film profile].