Play (2011)

Sweden et al., 118 min
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Table of contents

Other manifestations of this work

Basic facts

Media (5)

Original title Play
Film type Feature
Category Fiction
Average rating 4,07 / 5
Director
Producer
Screenplay
Production country
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • France
Production company
Awards
  • The Guldbagge Award
  • FIPRESCI
  • Greta Award (Swedish Association of Film Critics award)
  • Show awards
Classification Allowed from age 11
Swedish release 2011-11-11

Cast

Anas Abdirahman
Anas

Sebastian Blyckert
Sebastian

Yannick Diakite
Yannick

Sebastian Hegmar
Alex

Abdiaziz Hilowle
Abdi

Nana Manu
Nana

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Plot summary

Ruben Östlund's third feature is a serious yet humorous study of human behaviour inspired by authentic cases in which groups of young boys robbed other children in central Göteborg. What was...

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Links and resources

Read more about this film in our article "Svenska filmkritikerbråk" (in Swedish)
Read more about this film in our article "The New Film Country – a look at integration in Swedish fiction film in the 21st century" (in English)
Download the study guide for this film (in Swedish)

Titles

Original title
  • Play
Swedish release title
  • Play
International title
  • Play
Title for Swedish DVD release
  • Play
Working title
  • Ruben 2009

Crew

Director
Screenplay
Producer
Project Coordinator
Line Producer
Director of Photography
Music
Production Designer
Film Editor
Production Mixer
Assistant Director
Artistic Advisor
Adaptation
Co-producer
Executive Producer
Production Coordinator
Unit Manager
Production Assistant
Craft service
Casting
Production Accountant
Film Commissioner
Post Production Supervisor
First Assistant Cameraman
Second Assistant Cameraman
Still Photographer
Gaffer
Best Boy
Key Grip
On-line Editing
Compositor
Digital Grading
Musician
Assistant Production Designer
Costume Designer
Costume Assistant
Boom Operator
Sound Editor
Foley
Re-recording Mixer
Graphic Design
Insurance
Other Crew
Governess

Cast

Anas Abdirahman Anas
Sebastian Blyckert Sebastian
Yannick Diakite Yannick
Sebastian Hegmar Alex
Abdiaziz Hilowle Abdi
Nana Manu Nana
John Ortiz John
Kevin Vaz Kevin
Jacob Ottander pojke i köpcenter
Herman Troeng pojke i köpcenter
Tobias Åkesson tågvärd
Peggy Johansson tågvärd
Humberto Guandinango Espinosa medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Luis Alonso Tuquerez medlem i panflöjtsbandet
José Jaime medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Patricio Cotacachi medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Rodrigo Cotacachi medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Alfredo Cahuasqui medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Luis Espinosa medlem i panflöjtsbandet
Lisbeth Caspersson caféägare
Caroline Kruse cafébiträde
Tabita Fellert cafébiträde
Adam Nygren reggaekille på spårvagn
Josefine Adolfsson skrikande tjej
Almir Karajkovic äldre kille
Kawa Mohammadi äldre kille
Kawan Mohammadi äldre kille
Roland Persson vittne
Jörgen Larsson spårvagnskontrollant
Ulla-Britt Ekblad spårvagnskontrollant
Martin Bröns clownen Pibo
Hani Saad M lillebror
Abdirahman A Jame farbror
Samira Omar farbroderns hustru
Anna Troeng mamma på spårvagn
Johan Jan Jonason (as Johan Jonason) arg pappa
Martin McFaul arg pappa
Johan Nordström son till arg pappa
William Berglind Mäkinen son till arg pappa
Lina Räftegård gravid kvinna
Kia Skog kvinna med matkassar
Kornelia Wiklund dansande flicka
Sören Andersson
Johan Bergdahl
Elisabeth Blyckert
Claes Briné
Kristoffer Cras
Axel Danielson
Pia Edlund
Per Grehn
Fritz Hansen
Jan-Erik Höglund
Olof Johnson
Rasmus Krage Hansén
Henrik Lindahl
Alexandra Linde
Karin Linderoth
Ulf Nordeke
Malgorzata Siliwanowicz
Therese Tellstedt
Louis Trebuchet
Ulf Wakenius
Lars Wallin

Companies

Production Company Plattform Produktion AB
Co-Production Company Sonet Film AB
Coproduction Office Aps
Film i Väst AB
Sveriges Television AB
Société Parisienne de Production
Supported by Konstnärsnämnden
MEDIA Programme of the European Community
Advance allocations Det Danske Filminstitut
ZDF/Arte
Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Stiftelsen Svenska Filminstitutet
Distributor in Sweden (DVD) SF Home Entertainment 2012
Distributor in Sweden AB Svensk Filmindustri
Laboratory Titra Film
Equipment LiteGrip AB
Dagsljus Filmequipment AB
Camera Center Gotheburg AB
Light Center Gothenburg AB
Ljud & Bildmedia AB
Alleycat
Brummer Produktion
Post Production Company Shoot & Post AB
Re-recording Mixer Studio 24
Insurance Media Insurance Brokers ApS
Trygg-Hansa
Sales The Coproduction Office
Other Company EMK Revision (revisor)
Wagnefors biluthyrning (hyrbilar)
Chrome Cobra HB / Gotheburg Prop Makers (specialeffekter)

Plot summary

Ruben Östlund's third feature is a serious yet humorous study of human behaviour inspired by authentic cases in which groups of young boys robbed other children in central Göteborg. What was remarkable about the robberies was that they followed an elaborate role-play which tricked the victims without resort to violence or threats.

Swedish censorship / rating

Certificate number 200423
Date 2011-09-13
Classification Allowed from age 11
Original length 3226 meters
Notes Aktlängder: 557, 542, 546, 507, 554, 520.
Grounds for decision Framställningen skildrar hur tre pojkar blir manipulerade och bestulna av ett gäng pojkar. Framställningen innehåller inslag av obehaglig stämning med hotfulla situationer och misshandel vilket bedöms kunna vara till skada för välbefinnandet hos barn under 11 år.


Technical specifications

Aspect ratio 1.85:1
Colour type Colour
Carrier type 35 mm
Frames per second 24
Length in metres 3226 meter
Length in minutes 118 min
Reels 6 reels


Production location

Gothenburg Filmen spelas in hösten 2009 och våren 2010.

Release dates

Festival showing 2011-11-09 Skandia Stockholm Sweden 118 min Stockholms 22:a Internationella Filmfestival 2011.
2011-11-10 Grand 1 Stockholm Sweden 118 min Stockholms 22:a Internationella Filmfestival 2011.
2011-11-10 Grand 1 Stockholm Sweden 118 min Stockholms 22:a Internationella Filmfestival 2011.
Release in Sweden 2011-11-11 Sweden
Festival showing 2012-03-13 Filmstaden Malmö Sweden 118 min (BUFF Filmfestival, 13 - 17 mars, 2012.)
DVD release 2012-03-14 Sweden
TV showing 2014-02-28 SVT2 Sweden
2017-09-01 SVT2 Sweden
2018-04-02 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-04-15 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-04-28 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-02 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-10 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-15 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-19 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-24 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-30 TV4 Film Sweden
2018-05-31 TV4 Film Sweden
VOD release 2023-10-06 SVT Play Sweden Antal dagar på SVT Play 30
TV showing 2023-10-06 SVT2 Sweden

Soundtrack listing

Original title The Entertainer
Composer Scott Joplin (1903)
Performed by John Ortiz


Original title Ndinokakama
Composer Charles Charamba
Performed by Charles Charamba & Fisher of Menfra


Original title Scene and air from "Luisa di Montfort, op 82"
Composer Michael Bergson
Performed by John Ortiz
Alexandra Linde


Awards

Nominated for the Guldbagge Award 2012 Best Editing Jacob Schulsinger
2012 Best Costume Pia Aleborg
2012 Best Actor in a Leading Role Kevin Vaz
2012 Best Screenplay Ruben Östlund
2012 Best Picture
The Guldbagge Award Stockholm 2012 Best Director Ruben Östlund
Stockholm 2012 Best Cinematography Marius Dybwad Brandrud
Festival Award Budapest 2012 (Breaking Waves Award of the 19th Titanic International Film Festival, Ungern)
Linz 2012 (New Vision award, Crossing Europé, Österrike)
FIPRESCI Motovun 2012 (FIPRESCI award/Motovun Film Festival, Kroatien)
The Nordic Council Film Prize Helsinki 2012 (Nordiska rådets filmpris 2012 )
Greta Award (Swedish Association of Film Critics award) 2011 (årets film / Greta Award, The Swedish Association of Film Critics, Sverige)
Festival Award Cannes 2011 (Coup de Coeur, Quinzaine des Realisateurs, Festival de Cannes, Frankrike)
Moscow 2011 (Grand Prix för bästa film / Best Feature Film, 2 in 1 Festival of Contemporary Cinema, Ryssland)
Tokyo 2011 Ruben Östlund (bästa regi / Best Direction, Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan)

Holdings Film

The information given here refers to film material in the Swedish Film Institute’s archive. Access to the archive’s stock is given on request, for research, other film archives and rights’ holders. For enquiries please contact filmarkivet@filminstitutet.se

Element type Print
Item base Polyester
Carrier type 35 mm
Length 3229


Element type Print
Item base Polyester
Carrier type 35 mm
Length 3229


Element type Print
Item base Polyester
Carrier type 35 mm


Element type Print
Item base Polyester
Carrier type 35 mm
Length 3227


Element type Duplicate positive
Item base Polyester
Carrier type 35 mm


Holdings Posters

Size Smaller than 40 x 75 cm
Quantity 2


Size About 70 x 100 cm
Quantity 2


Holdings Scripts

Script type Inspelningsmanus
Script title Play. En komisk tragedi av Ruben Östlund. Manusverision 2009-09-22. Manus Ruben Östlund medförfattare Erik Hemmendorf.
Extent 87 s. Läsanvisning (1 s.) ingår.
Language Swedish


Script type Inspelningsmanus
Script title English version. Script August 01, 2009. Play. A humorous and tragic behavioural study by Ruben Östlund.
Extent 87 s. Läsanvisning (1 s.) ingår.
Language Swedish


Script type Dialoglista
Script title Play. Swedish dialogue list 2011-09-22.
Extent 36 s.
Language Swedish


Script type Inspelningsmanus
Script title English version. Script August 01, 2009. Play. A humorous and tragic behavioural study by Ruben Östlund.
Extent 87 s.
Language English


Script type Dialoglista
Extent 79 s.
Language English


Holdings Promotion materials

Type Program/Reklamtryck
Language English


Type Program/Reklamtryck
Language Swedish


Type Misc.prints
Language English


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