German Film Days & so much more at Bíó Paradís
The German Film Days may not have as illustrious a heritage as the French ones, which have been going on for as long as this century has. Yet, here they are in their 15th edition and, in some ways, more interesting. While the French festival showcases some of the biggest French films of the last year, the German one often feels a little bit more discerning. This year’s lineup includes only six films, but all of them seem to be choice cuts.
From Hilde, With Love, stars Liv Lisa Fries of Babylon Berlin fame. Here she is taking on the Nazis again, this time as a member of the German resistance in World War II. Another war-flavoured film is Riefenstahl, a documentary about Hitler’s favourite film director. Much of it is interviews with the titular character and promises questions about how a person’s self-image tries to cope with working for the worst regime in history.
On a lighter note is She-Chef, about a young cook who tries to make it in the cut-throat world of fine dining, her travels taking her to culinary destinations such as Vendome, Disfrutar in Barcelona and Koks in the Faroe Islands. Cuckoo, meanwhile, is a supernatural thriller about strange goings on in the Alps. A bit farther away and set in Iran, we have The Seed of the Sacred Fig, a family drama with political unrest in the background.
Finally, there is Dying, apparently a fun romp around the titular theme. It was one of the best films of last year, according to critic and sometime Grapevine contributor Ásgeir Ingólfsson, who himself has just recently passed away. He will be sorely missed at the movies.
The German Film Days run from on February 21 to March 2. Don’t miss the party screening of Berlin classic Run Lola Run on Feb. 28 — it’ll be a great way to relive the tumultuous ‘90s.
Party On, Count
Bíó Paradís’ other party screenings this month are Gladiator, The Bodyguard and British comedy Hot Fuzz. For those who missed the French Film Days, there are still a few films showing. The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the biggest Gallic films of recent years, in more ways than one. It is great in period detail, very long and not much happens in the middle, much like a 19th Century novel. With 22 other film adaptions and many more made for TV, one may legitimately ask how often this story needs to be told. At least this take is faithful to the novel. A Little Something Extra and The Balconettes from the French fest are still playing.
Bíó Paradís also regularly screens Polish films, mainly intended for Iceland’s sizeable Polish community, but also for anyone else interested in taking in the mainstream cinema of another country rather than the international festival fare we get otherwise.
Diabel, on the other hand, is about a one-man army returning from a war to take on homegrown gangsters. The description, as well as the tagline; “For some, it is hell on earth… For ‘the Devil’, a real home,” is reminiscent of Rambo, with added Catholic overtones.
Horror in traditional costume
Until the Germans finally arrive, the one must-see this month is the sorta-Icelandic The Damned, from director Þórður Pálsson. This film is set in 19th Century Iceland but stars an English language cast. The Icelandic fjords seem an ideal setting for a period film — all you need is costumes and a turf house. They are also an ideal setting for horror, with the nearest settlement being miles away.
Icelandic cinema so far has offered little of either, but here we get both. And unlike many previous attempts, the result hits home. It is a slow-burner, building on Icelandic history and mythology. No attempt is made to romanticise the past: these are harsh people in harsh surroundings with little room for charity for strangers. For once, the people being stalked by the supernatural sort of deserve it. Oh, and there is a twist which makes it sadly relevant for our times.
The film made a splash at the Tribeca film festival and has been shown with acclaim across the U.S. But there is probably no better place to see it than here in Iceland, in a warm screening room with the February winds blowing outside. The country has come a long way. It would be a pity to go back. Not much sense in making Iceland great again, the only way to go is forwards.
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