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The Platform (film)

The Platform is a 2019 Spanish dystopian thriller film directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Platform is a 2019 Spanish dystopian thriller film directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia. Set in a vertical prison known as the Vertical Self-Management Center, it follows inmates who receive food from a descending platform while the lower levels are left with increasingly fewer leftovers. The film is widely read as an allegory about inequality and social hierarchy.

Premise

The film takes place in a multi-level prison where a platform carrying food descends through the tower. Inmates on upper floors can eat first, while those below receive only what remains.

Production and release

The Platform was directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia and released in 2019 in Spain. Netflix distributed the film internationally.

Themes

The film is commonly interpreted as a metaphor for scarcity, inequality, and social stratification. Critics have described it as a brutal allegory about human behaviour under systems of competition and deprivation.

Reception

The film drew substantial attention after its streaming release and was widely reviewed as a provocative horror-thriller. Commentary frequently focused on its unsettling imagery and its political and social symbolism.

Key facts

  • The film is set in a prison tower called the Vertical Self-Management Center, also referred to as “The Hole.”
  • Prisoners are housed two per floor and periodically reassigned to different levels.
  • Food is delivered on a platform that descends floor by floor, leaving less for those below.
  • The story centres on a prisoner named Goreng and the unequal distribution of resources in the facility.
  • The film was released internationally by Netflix.
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Canadian context

The film was available to Canadian audiences through Netflix and received attention in English-language film coverage in Canada and abroad.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Platform about?
It is about prisoners in a vertical tower who are fed from a platform descending floor by floor, creating severe inequality between the upper and lower levels.
What is the original title of The Platform?
The original Spanish title is El hoyo, meaning “The Hole.”
Who directed The Platform?
The film was directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia.
When was The Platform released?
It was released in 2019 in Spain and later distributed internationally by Netflix.
What genre is The Platform?
It is generally classified as a dystopian thriller and science-fiction horror film.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Platform_(film)
    Supports: Original title, year, country, director, premise, setting
  2. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/movies/the-platform-review.html
    Supports: Runtime, language, themes, setting, Netflix release context
  3. Cineuropa — https://www.cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/379934/
    Supports: Production context and international distribution by Netflix
  4. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-platform
    Supports: Release timing, runtime, director, cast, platform premise
  5. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_platform
    Supports: Runtime, genre, original language, release date