The Platform

An unnamed vertical prison forces dozens of people to share a single rectangular shaft, with platforms of food rung down from the top each day. Goreng enters voluntarily hoping for a diploma, but discovers the system's cruel logic: those on upper levels gorge themselves, leaving scraps for whoever ends up below. Alliances form and fray as hunger and moral choices push inmates toward violence, barter and sacrifice. Each month occupants are randomly reassigned to new levels, so today's bounty can become tomorrow's famine. The film watches how structure shapes behavior, and it follows Goreng's attempts to impose fairness while coping with mistrust, fear and the constant threat that the next descent will be fatal, all while rumors of rebellion circulate.

Released in 2019, The Platform is directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia from an original screenplay by David Desola, Pedro Rivero and Kepa Koldo de Orbe. The Spanish-language film stars Ivan Massagué, Antonia San Juan and Zorion Eguileor, also featuring Alexandra Masangkay.

After festival screenings, it saw limited theatrical runs and reached a much larger audience when it became available on streaming platforms worldwide. The film's profile grew through word of mouth and online discussion rather than traditional blockbuster box office figures.

The Platform's stark visual of a descending food platform became an instantly recognizable image, and its allegory about inequality entered online conversations. Memes, think pieces and debates about scarcity, privilege and social responsibility frequently reference the film, making it a shorthand for critiques of hierarchical systems, and classroom discussions too.

Critical reaction was mixed to positive, with audiences giving a roughly 6.968 out of 10 user vote average across 7,621 votes. Praise focused on the concept and lead performances while some critics found the allegory heavy-handed. Central themes include inequality, solidarity versus selfishness, and how institutions condition behavior notably.