The Conference (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The killer is the son of the farmer who committed suicide after his land was unjustly bulldozed for the mall project. He is seeking revenge against all the municipal employees involved in the construction project that destroyed his family's livelihood.

• farmer's son
• killer identity
• revenge
• masked killer

The farmer lost his land to the unjust bulldozing for the mall project. After being denied compensation (the document with Lina's forged signature), he fell into despair and took his own life. His son witnessed this tragedy and blames the corporate scheme and everyone involved in enabling it.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Lina discovers her signature was forged on a document that denied compensation to a farmer, hinting at the injustice that would later spark revenge.

• farmer suicide
• land theft
• revenge motive
• corporate corruption

Jonas threatens Lina because she witnessed Nadja uncover discrepancies in the expense report, which could expose his fraudulent scheme. Lina had already expressed shock at discovering her forged signature on the compensation denial document, making her a liability to his plans.

• Jonas threat
• Lina safety
• corporate secrets

Lina copies files onto a flash drive that prove Jonas's construction project is a scam. The evidence reveals Jonas never secured retail partners to stock the mall and secretly planned to sell the land back to a corporation for a lucrative position. He also forged Lina's signature during her medical leave to deny the farmer compensation.

• flash drive evidence
• fraud
• forged signature
• Jonas scheme

Jonas betrays Lina because he wants the flash drive containing the incriminating evidence. When they reach the raft during their escape, he demands she hand it over. When she refuses, he pushes her into the water and escapes alone, prioritizing his own survival and protecting his secrets.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Lina confronts Jonas with evidence of his fraud, and he unsuccessfully tries to bribe her silence.

• Jonas betrayal
• raft scene
• flash drive
• survival

Anette is killed because Jonas saves himself in a cowardly act while others are still in danger. After Jonas betrays Lina and escapes, the killer continues his rampage. Anette becomes the next victim as the killer targets those involved in the project, with Jonas's betrayal creating chaos that leaves others vulnerable.

Foreshadowing: The killer has already murdered Kaj in front of Anette and hung Ingela, demonstrating his methodical targeting of project participants.

• Anette death
• Jonas cowardice
• killer victims

Amir sacrifices himself because the killer rigged the zip-line landing pad with deadly spikes. As Lina uses the zip-line to escape, Amir notices the danger and pushes her to safety, taking the fatal impact himself. His sacrifice ensures Lina's survival.

Foreshadowing: The group decides to use the zip-line to cross the lake after realizing the killer is the farmer's son seeking revenge.

• Amir death
• zip-line spikes
• sacrifice
• heroic act

Nadja decapitates the killer using the ceremonial shovel meant for the mall project's groundbreaking. After Torbjörn and Eva hide in the lodge while the killer pursues them, Nadja returns and fights him off, using the shovel to kill him just as emergency services arrive.

• Nadja heroics
• shovel weapon
• killer death

Lina kills Jonas in self-defense after he returns deranged and blames her for the collapse of his scheme. He attacks her in a desperate, violent confrontation, and Lina defends herself by reopening his head wound from the booby trap, ultimately overpowering him.

Foreshadowing: Jonas had already betrayed Lina, attempted to kill her for the flash drive, and shown himself willing to let others die to protect his secrets.

• Jonas death
• self-defense
• Lina survival
• final confrontation

Jonas's project is a scam because he never intended to build a legitimate mall. He manipulated the entire team, worked Lina to exhaustion as a distraction, and secretly planned to sell the land back to a corporation for a lucrative executive position. He also forged Lina's signature to deny the farmer compensation.

• mall fraud
• corporate scheme
• Jonas corruption
• betrayal

The killer specifically targets employees involved in the mall construction project. He is the son of the farmer whose land was stolen, so he seeks revenge on those responsible for the corporate scheme that led to his father's suicide. Not every attendee is targeted, only those connected to the project.

• selective targeting
• revenge victims
• project employees

After Jonas pushes her into the water, Lina manages to swim to safety and eventually reaches the lodge where surviving employees have regrouped. She then works with the group to formulate an escape plan using the zip-line, ultimately surviving the night despite the ongoing threat from both the killer and Jonas.

• Lina survival
• water escape
• raft scene