The busy film festival season is upon us and we managed to get a quick glimpse at some of the films that featured at Reykjavik International Film Festival, which closes today.
Below you will find our top picks of Nordic films we suggest you look out for:
Summer Light and Then Comes The Night| Iceland
Director: Elfar Aðalsteins
Olafur Darri Olafasson told us about this film back in January when Nordic Watchlist spoke to him about his role in Entrapped and The Tourist. His words were:
“I am really looking forward to people seeing that, Elfar Adalsteins is the director and one of the main producers – along with me and three others. We bought the rights to the book around 8-9 years ago and it has been a bit of a labour of love – but it such a great book!
I actually just saw it a couple of weeks ago and it is pretty much finished – I absolutely loved it! It touched me very deeply and I really look forward to when people can see this“
Well that time has finally come and we hope to see a further international release in 2023!
Atomy | Iceland
Director: Logi Hilmarsson
Icelandic director Logi Hilmarsson takes us on a fascinating journey that follows Brandur, a social entrepreneur from Iceland who is also quadriplegic, as he flies to Nepal with his girlfriend and group of helpers to take part in an alternative physical therapy – one that promises he will walk again in one year.
Ten | Iceland
Director: Dean DeBois
Ten, or Tiu, is a beautiful and intimate documentary directed by Dean DeBois (How To Train Your Dragon), which sees the director record Icelandic group Of Monsters and Men perform a number of their tracks in different locations around the island.
This is not new territory for the director as he is the man who is responsible for the 2007 documentary Heima, which had Sigur Ros doing something very similar.
Fans of the Icelandic band will certainly enjoy this short and sweet collection of tracks blended in with the stunning sights of Iceland.
Exxtinction Emergency| Iceland
Director: Sigurjon Sighvatsson
When anyone in the UK hears the words Extinction Rebellion, many will immediately think of the protests that made the news and created absolute chaos. This documentary tells the story of the people behind the group, its original purpose, and how it evolved and fractioned over time, across the globe.
Sigurjon Sighvatsson’s documentary is a fascinating inside look into the group, and delivers a balanced view on where they got it so right and also where it went wrong. Just over a swift hour long the narrative is punchy with vibrant interludes of colour and an awesome soundtrack.
Sister, What Grows Where Land is Sick? | Norway
Director: Franciska Eliassen
Franciska Eliassen’s debut feature, shot incredibly in 7 days, is a hauntingly beautiful story of a teenager trying to understand her sister’s slow descent into mental health issues.
It is shot in northern Norway and has some of the most stunning scenery blended in with some fascinating visuals – it is an artistic piece with lingering shots of various key elements that might hold a key to what is inside her sister’s mind.
The performance by Ruby Dagnall is simply incredible and one that you will not shake off days after. Credit also to Keira La Hart who plays her little sister, Eira.
Eliassen is clearly a name to watch out for in the future and her film will stick with us for sometime.
Feature by Alex Minnis