The allure of narratives based on real-life events has always captivated audiences, offering a unique blend of authenticity and relatability. As viewers immerse themselves in the world of cinema, questions often arise about the origins of the stories being portrayed.
In this article, we'll explore the question: Is ‘The Conference' based on a true story?
Is ‘The Conference' Based on a True Story?
‘The Conference' (formerly known as ‘Konferensen') is not based on a true story. However, the film is based on Mats Strandberg's 2021 Swedish horror novel, ‘Konferensen'. Strandberg writes a column for Aftonbladet, a Stockholm-based Swedish tabloid daily. He began his writing career in 2006 with his debut novel, ‘Jaktsäsong,' and has since written more titles.
When addressing his 2021 publication ‘Konferensen,' the author described it as a narrative about a dysfunctional bunch of coworkers trapped in a remote place with a crazed killer on the loose.
“So it's a bit, you know, Agatha Christie meets ‘Friday the 13th,' or at least that was my goal,” he went on to say. In an interview with Magnus & the Arts, Strandberg discussed how he generates ideas, concluding that they “pop up” from any place.
Strandberg was inspired to write this novel by the naturally strange scenarios that terrible working relationships might create. “It’s so frustrating, and also, it’s such a weird situation that you spend more than half of your awake time with these people you haven’t chosen for yourself,” the author remarked. “So that's where I started to think about that.”
The film expands on this identical predicament and injects a healthy amount of comedy to add something new and refreshing to the mix. Although the film's use of the same material differs from the source material, which focuses more on the characters' interpersonal conflicts, the tale benefits from it in its own way.
Slasher comedy has grown in popularity in Hollywood with films such as ‘The Final Girls,' ‘Bodies, Bodies,' and ‘Totally Killer.'
The Patrik Eklund-directed movie, on the other hand, adopts a unique, modern strategy by setting its humorous slasher story in a campground with coworkers who are all well past adulthood. As a result, the tale provides relatability within new constraints by delving into workplace friendships, rivalries, and other relationships.
Because this component of the film informs such a universal experience, viewers will undoubtedly relate to a few characters and see reflections of their problems in the tales.
For example, Jonas' character remains an exaggerated but evocative representation of passive-aggressive lousy managers who prioritize their success over their team members. Similarly, Ingela, the oppressive supervisor, and Amir, the awkward but close work friend, share similarities with real-life events.
The film also addresses corruption in its Kolarängen Mall plotline, which discusses the exploitation of the working class and the divide between citizens and those in power. While this aspect of the plot fades into the background after the killer is revealed, it aims to emphasize a real-world issue. Nonetheless, aside from these minor details, ‘The Conference' has no tangible ties to real life.
In the end, the movie draws heavily from its namesake book, but the narrative's characters and events are entirely artificial, created solely for narrative purposes.
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As such, ‘The Conference,' a work of fiction, can be credited to Strandberg for his novel, which served as the film's inspiration, as well as director Eklund and co-writer Thomas Moldestad, who authored the screenplay.
The film's premise of an intense team-building exercise in which coworkers are compelled to work together for their survival creates an intriguing fictional scenario.
