Icelandic cinema
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This Is The Battle Of The Bands
Stuðmenn face off with Grýlurnar in a cult classic Með allt á hreinu As the summer of literally zero new Icelandic movies limps on, I find myself back at the library rummaging for dusty DVDs of old films. This time it’s Með…
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Accidental Shock Therapy: Revisiting The Timeless Comedy Classic “Stella í Orlofi”
Probably every country with a film industry has, at some point, produced a gloriously unhinged comedy — something that grabs hold of everyday social life and gleefully spins it into farcical chaos. In Iceland, that film is almost certainly Stella í Orlofi…
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Friendships In Vesturbær Are At Stake
In the age of smartphones, our most personal secrets are often stored away in apps, folders, and notes on our devices. But what would happen if all of that sensitive information were to be exposed? Director Elsa María Jakobsdóttir’s “Villibráð’” (“Wild Game”)…
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A ‘Tromatic’ Experience: Bjarni Gautur On Fecal Humour, Censorship & Swordfish
Most splatter and B-movie fans have heard of Troma. The longest-running independent film company in the world, Troma is responsible for such cult classics as ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ ‘Class of Nuke ‘Em High’ and ‘Combat Shock,’ as well as lesser known titles…
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Icelandic Movie ‘Woman At War’ Gets International Attention In Cannes
New Icelandic movie ‘Kona fer í strið’ (or ‘Woman at war’) premiered during Critics Week at the Cannes Film Festival last Friday and has so far received excellent reviews from international media. ‘Kona fer í strið’ follows the success of director Benedikt…
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Keeping It Real: Icelandic Director Ísold Uggadóttir Talks “And Breathe Normally”
Not many Icelandic movies manage to step away from the idyllic scenery of nature and burst into the international scene with great success. Coming-of-age movies and romantically shot films that are set in the breathtaking heart of the Icelandic countryside do well,…
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Pain And Empathy In Award Winning Movie ‘And Breathe Normally’
A recent American film suggests that no one cares about dentists. Much the same can be said about border guards, who at best force you to unpack in front of them and make you forget your wallet at security before going on…
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Dark Shadows Cause Deep Rifts In ‘Undir Trénu’
In Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson’s third feature, ‘Undir Trénu,’ the shadow cast from the tree next door sparks a seething feud between neighbours which ultimately culminates in tragedy. Through its suburban setting and tight knit cast of intriguing and troubled characters, the film…
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The Quality of Dreams: Icelandic Director Ása Hjörleifsdóttir On The Icelandic Filmmaking Scene
It’s early Monday morning when I meet Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir, the latest director to shake up the Icelandic movie scene. Only a couple of days have passed since the premiere of her first feature-length film at the Toronto Film Festival—the intensely tragic…
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Icelandic Film ‘Undir trénu’ Nominated At Venice Film Festival
The flim “Undir trénu” has been nominated for the Orizzonti sidebar at the Venice Film Festival, which is devoted to new trends in world cinema. This is the first time a full length Icelandic movie has been nominated for the award, but…
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The Saga Of Icelandic Cinema: ‘Country Wedding’
“It’s a film about two families that are forced to spend time together,” ‘Country Wedding’ director Valdís Óskarsdóttir explained to the Grapevine in 2008. “They can stand each other for one hour but they get lost and instead of one hour, they…
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The Saga Of Icelandic Cinema: ‘Nói the Albino’
Probably the most Icelandic moment in ‘Nói albínói’—and this is a very Icelandic movie, about Malt Extract, carrot cake, winter, and depression—is the scene in which our hero romances a girl by teaching her to smoke cigarettes. Indoors. In 2003. There is…
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The Saga of Icelandic Cinema: ‘Sódóma Reykjavík’
That this boring fishing town could be any kind of Sin City is very much the joke. “Ó borg mín borg,” sings Björk over the end credits of 1992’s ‘Sódóma Reykjavík’—“Oh city, my city.” The film’s end credits play over a helicopter…
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Happening Now: Bíó Paradís Icelandic Film Summer Series
Icelandic cinema is having a bit of a moment. This summer, everyone can feel like they’re part of the country’s ascending film industry as Bíó Paradís screens the best of Icelandic cinema, new and old. All films will also be subtitled in…
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Killing Your Darlings With A Lawnmower To The Face: We Visit An Icelandic Horror Set
Despite possessing a desolate landscape, long winters, and prominent bodysnatcher demographic (sorry, Alþingi), Iceland is not really a landmark when it comes to horror movies—even though it certainly seems like the kind of place that should be. Thanks to a burgeoning national…
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The Boys’ Club: Men Are Strong And Carry Around Big Cameras?
On May 13, a new billboard went up outside Kolaportið. As billboards go, it was pretty good. It used an excellent shade of pink. It didn’t peel. It was big enough to see from Bæjarins Beztu. Most importantly, though, this billboard had…