In the overrated Cannes Film Festival winner The Square, Christian is the respected curator of a contemporary art museum, a divorced but devoted father of two who drives an electric car and supports good causes. His next show is The Square, an installation which invites passersby to altruism, reminding them of their role as responsible fellow human beings. But sometimes, it is difficult to live up to your own ideals: Christian’s foolish response to the theft of his phone drags him into shameful situations. Meanwhile, the museum’s PR agency has created an unexpected campaign for The Square. The response is overblown and sends Christian, as well as the museum, into an existential crisis.
The Square, like most Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winners, will not make a dime at the box office, nor earn any Oscar nominations (with the exception, perhaps, of a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination).
First and foremost, the studio that snagged it for U.S. distribution, Magnolia Pictures, is not allowed to release movies in major theater chains such as Regal and AMC Theatres, as Magnolia Pictures allows all of their releases to debut on Video On Demand either before the theatrical release or day and date, a big, big no-no for the major theater chains.
