Mondrian and Tadao Ando Shape the Dystopian Set of Fleur Fortuné's 'The Assessment'

The set design of Fleur Fortuné's debut feature film 'The Assessment' (Italian: 'La valutazione'), available on Prime Video since May 8, draws on the geometric purity of Piet Mondrian's paintings, the clean lines and zenithal light of architect Tadao Ando, and the Space Age design of the 1960s and 1970s aesthetics. Production designer Jan Houllevigue created a sterile, automated villa that becomes a character itself, reflecting a dystopian society where parenthood is regulated. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen as Mia, a botanical researcher, and Himesh Patel as Aaryan, a programmer of artificial pets, who must undergo a rigorous test by Virginia (Alicia Vikander), a government evaluator, to have a child. The set features a large window inspired by Mondrian's geometry and palette, which transforms the domestic space into a control device. The minimalist architecture echoes Tadao Ando's style, while the conversation pit, a sunken space for socializing, is subverted into a place of observation and tension. Fortuné cited 1970s aesthetics and Afrofuturism as inspirations in an interview with RogerEbert.com. The film explores themes of climate change, state control, and the boundary between real and artificial, blending black humor and psychological tension.