Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur’s 2012 film “Djupið” (‘The Deep’) has been nominated for two international film prizes: the European Film Academy’s People’s Choice Award and the Nordic Council’s Film Prize.
“Djupið,” starring Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, is based on the true story of Guðlaugur Friðþórsson, a fisherman from the Westman Islands who was the only survivor when his fishing boat sank six kilometers offshore in 1984. Guðlaugur spent over five hours in the icy North Atlantic, only to then have to walk barefoot through a frozen lava field to safety in a nearby village.
In order to be nominated for the Nordic Film prize, films must be “embedded to a significant degree in Nordic culture, must be of high quality, stand out in terms of artistic originality, and combine and refine the many elements of film in a convincing and integrated manner.” “Djupið” is nominated alongside four other notable Nordic films, including “Jagten,” (‘The Hunt’) directed by Thomas Vinterberg. The winner of the award will also receive a monetery prize of 350.000 Danish kroner.
Nominations for the People’s Choice Award are made by film fans across Europe, who can then vote for the winner on the EFA website. Other nominees for this year’s prize include Pedro Almódovar’s “Los Amantes Pasajeros,” Susanne Bier’s “Den skaldede frisør,” and Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina.”
“Djupið,” won 11 Edda Awards (Iceland’s most prestigious film prize) in 2013, including “Best Film,” “Best Director,” and “Best Actor.” It was also Iceland’s Oscar entry for the “Best Foreign Language Film,” although it was not ultimately nominated for the category.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
