Dagur Kári’s ‘Virgin Mountain’ Wins Top Prizes At Tribeca, Gunnar Jónsson Named Best Actor

Director Dagur Kári’s latest film, Virgin Mountain dominated New York’s Tribeca Film Festival last night, taking the prize for the festival’s world narrative competition, along with winning best screenplay. Furthermore, the film’s leading man Gunnar Jónsson, was named best actor. This is great news! Congratulations, Dagur Kári! Congratulations, Gunnar Jónsson!

Virgin Mountain is called Fúsi in Icelandic, after its titular character, and tells the story of an overweight, socially isolated, 43-year-old virgin who works as a baggage-handler and events that transpire after he joins a line-dancing class at the urging of his mother. Here is a synopsis from its distributor’s website:

“Fúsi is in his forties and yet to find courage to enter the adult world.

He sleepwalks through everyday life, where routine is key.

When a bubbly woman and an 8-year old girl unexpectedly enter his life, he is forced to take a leap.”

This is the film’s trailer:

(You can view a subtitled version here).

Director Dagur Kári is a perhaps best known for his feature-length début, the wonderful, internationally acclaimed Nói Albínói (“Nói the Albino”), which – aside from being a great piece of cinema – is the only Icelandic film to properly convey what it feels like growing up on the edge of nowhere. A true renaissance man, Dagur Kári also writes the screenplays for his films, AND scores them via his most excellent band, Slowblow.

Here is one of Slowblow’s many great songs:

(Slowblow’s albums are on Spotify. Go listen to their stuff).

Virgin Mountain is currently being screened at the Háskólabíó movie theatre (right by the University of Iceland). English-language subtitled screenings of the film have yet to be announced for Iceland, but plans are reportedly afoot, so watch this space.

If you’re currently situated in New York City, however, you can catch subtitled screenings of Virgin Mountain at Regal Cinemas in Battery Park this Sunday.

You can read more about Virgin Mountain‘s TRIBECA DOMINATION at Variety and The LA Times.

And, then, you should go ‘like’ Virgin Mountain’s Facebook page, before it becomes cool.