Scandinavian countries are often held up as shining examples of truly egalitarian societies. They regularly top polls for happiness, gender equality, equal opportunities and salaries. But it wasn’t always the way for Iceland. In fact, it took until the mid-1970s for women to finally achieve equal footing in a society that was built on traditional gender roles.

“Today, Iceland is one of the best places to be a woman, but it wasn’t always that way. This is the story of one day that changed everything,” a voiceover declares as Pamela Hogan and Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir’s documentary begins. The Day Iceland Stood Still neatly intersperses talking heads, archival images and footage, striking Icelandic landscapes and animations as it explores the women’s strike of October 24, 1975.

Bringing an entire country to a standstill is no small feat and you cannot help but admire the bravery and ambition of the Icelandic women, who came from all walks of life, who did just that. The film sets the scene by explaining what life was like for women prior to the “day off”. They were not expected to want more than housewifery or child rearing. Even those who were part of the workforce were not given equal salaries for fear they would “spend it on make up and clothes”. Women were told to put their make up on before their husbands woke every morning and to be so competent at all things domestic that a man should not even have to worry about making a cup of coffee. The examples of everyday sexism are both frustrating and hilariously cliched.

Inspired by protests across Europe, the US and other parts of Scandinavia, a growing number of dissatisfied women wanted to bring a similar movement to Iceland. “The Red Stockings” started a radio show discussing taboo topics such as menstruation, abortion, a bad sex life and unequal pay. These women weren’t just coming out of their own kitchens, they were being broadcast into the kitchens of hundreds of thousands.

The women who are interviewed – including Iceland’s first female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – have more than a hint of mischief about them as the recollect staging their protests. They crucified a woolly housewife doll to a Christmas tree to highlight the exhausting demands of the season on women. They brough a cow along to a beauty pageant to underline how much like a livestock show the event was. Unsurprisingly, support for the women was not unanimous. The Icelandic newspapers depicted them as trolls – “dangerous women; ugly and hairy”. They were seen as controversial, set to destroy society. Resistance came from both men and women in the lead up to the strike.

The strike itself is nothing short of magnificent to witness via the archival footage. The mobilisation of an entire nation – through leaflets, phone calls and connecting community groups – was a tremendous undertaking. No one really knew who would show up on the day, if anyone. The chaos of it all is somewhat delicious to behold. It is perfectly captured in frenzied clips showing a packed Reykjavik or women dropping off their children at their husbands’ place of work. Men burnt hotdogs for dinner or planked children in front of cartoons. Shops were closed. Admin tasks went undone. Tools for household chores were downed. The women on strike look joyful and connected; the men just look furious.

“We dare; we can; we will!” the women of 1975 sing in their thousands. There is still raw emotion rippling beneath the surface as these self-professed ordinary women recall their efforts to change an entire society. Their pride is palpable. Some clutch their daughters’ hands and smile as they emphasise the importance of the legacy of that day. Hogan and Gunnarsdóttir underline the power of the female voice through a striking choral performance of the strike chants.

The Day Iceland Stood Still is a testament to the extraordinary being achieved by the ordinary. It is a very moving documentary that cherishes the voices of those who changed an entire country.

The Day Iceland Stood Still has started to screen at various festivals – any news of a further release we will be sure to let you know.