Words by

Steve Ganey

...Following EDDA Nomination

When filmmaker Henry Bateman set out to create a film about Iceland’s economy, he had little knowledge of Iceland at all. After a year and a half of filming, the image he got of Iceland was a remarkably optimistic one. His documentary, ‘Future of Hope’ has recently been nominated for an EDDA award in the Best Documentary category. If you missed it in its first theatrical run, Bíó Paradís will be giving you another chance with a week of screenings, starting February 11. The show opened on Friday at 20:00, with director Henry Bateman attending the event and answering audience questions after the film. You can also pre-order the DVD and soundtrack.

The film has garnered praise from screenings at numerous festivals around the world, and now returns to Iceland after being nominated for the prestigious EDDA. Henry Bateman and the producer Heather Millard will be in town throughout the week, and will be stopping by Bíó Paradís occasionally to meet with audiences.

According to the film’s press release, ‘Future of Hope’ explores the thoughts and feelings of the Icelandic people during the financial crisis. The film takes an intimate approach, putting human faces to the crisis, as individuals struggle with unemployment, financial insecurity, and an uncertain future. Despite these challenges, Icelanders remain determined to ensure lasting prosperity for themselves and generations to come.

Bateman explains that “It has been a truly inspiring journey into what is being done by individuals, but what is really very exciting is the potential of what could be achieved with the power of the crowd and this is the one place in the world where this can happen quickly and easily, leading the way forward… if the people unite behind a common goal.”

‘Future of Hope’ screening at Bíó Paradís, February 11 – 17
Q & A with director Henry Bateman after the film, February 11, 20:00

For more on ‘Future of Hope’, check out some of our previous articles:

Beyond The Boom-And-Bust
Finding the silver lining around the  collapse of Iceland’s economy can  seem like a daunting task…

When Is Enough Enough?
That’s the burning question in The Future of Hope, a new film about life in post-crash Iceland produced and directed by British filmmakers, Heather Millard and Henry Bateman…