Triangle of Sadness is a film that has garnered a lot of attention since its debut at Cannes last May, where it won the Palme d'Or for best film. Despite its recognition, many people believe that it has little chance of winning the Best Picture Oscar due to its controversial content. However, this is a film that deserves recognition for its satirical portrayal of the super-rich and the absurdity of wealth and power in modern society.
The film follows Carl, a male model, and his influencer girlfriend, Yaya, as they embark on a luxury cruise, documenting their experience on social media. The other holidaymakers are equally grotesque examples of the super-rich, including an elderly English couple who turn out to be arms dealers and a Russian oligarch who made his fortune selling fertilizer. The film explores the arbitrary way money and power are distributed and what people are willing to do to keep hold of it.
While many critics have criticized the satire in Triangle of Sadness as crass and heavy-handed, it is precisely this quality that makes it so effective. The film is less concerned with social commentary and more focused on putting its characters in awkward and uncomfortable situations to explore human nature. For instance, the tension between Carl and Yaya is a commentary on the gender pay gap and the superficiality of the fashion industry.
