World Film Report: Iceland (November 2009)

[Editor’s Note: I’m extremely pleased to introduce Ásgrímur Sverrisson to our readers, he’ll be providing us with a monthly lowdown on the cinematic happenings from his native Iceland. Despite its miniscule population, they’ve got a thriving film industry that extend beyond their nation. Visit any film festival that programs international cinema and you’re bound to find some Icelandic offerings. You’ll find below the basic set-up of our World Film Reports (reporting on the local and international film business) and for starters, Ásgrímur provides us with a basic breakdown on movie-going habits from the land of reindeer, tundra, Björk and Sigur Rós.]

To begin with, some background:
Iceland has a tiny population of around 320.000 people, but we are avid moviegoers with over 1.6 million tickets sold annually (with Hollywood product at around 85% market share and local films around 10%). That‘san average of five annual trips to the movies per person, one of the highest averages around. We make between 6-8 features a year and 3-5 feature documentaries. Local films are quite popular, with over 6% of the population attending them on average – again one of the highest in the world. In recent years we‘ve seen attandance figures for local films occasionally approaching a third of the population. Icelandic films regularly appear at major festivals all over the world, including Toronto, Karlovy Vary, Sundance, Cannes, Berlin and Pusan, in addition to many smaller ones.

ICELAND FILM SCENE – LOCAL:

BUSINESS:
As you might have heard of, Iceland is in the middle of a major economic crisis. This fall, the Government Budget Proposal introduced a 34% cut in film funding, way above suggested cuts for other arts funding, which on average are around 4%. The proposals were met with loud protests from the filmmaking community, with Ari Kristinsson, the chairman of the Producer‘s Association, calling it a massacre. “A cut of this magnitude will essentially destroy the industry” he said in a newspaper interview. Word is that the proposed cuts will be somewhat scaled back when the Budget Bill is confirmed in December.

PREMIERES:
This fall we‘ve seen the premiere of four features and one feature documentary. Júlíus Kemp‘s English language Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre opened in early September. A horror-comedy hybrid with a strong surreal flavour, it depicts a brutal and bloody battle between whalers hellbent on major mischief and hapless whale watchers who get in their way. Sales company E1 Films has picked up UK rights, with other territories pending.

The family adventure comedy The Big Rescue by Bragi Thór Hinriksson opened in late September. Based on characters from a popular TV show and exuding the screen charisma of comedian Sveppi (Sverrir Thór Sverrisson), the modestly budgeted but action-packed film has turned out to be a big hit with audiences. A sequel is on the cards.

Helgi Felixson‘s feature docu, God Bless Iceland, opened at the beginning of October. The film focuses on the effects of Iceland‘s economic crash last fall on the lives of four Icelanders, but includes interviews with many of the big players in the fields of business and politics. It met with some inital controversy, with the director being accused of manipulative interview tactics, but it soon faded out. Audience response was surprisingly muted.

Another big hit is Thorsteinn G. Bjarnason‘s debut, Jóhannes (opened mid-October), starring beloved comedy icon Laddi (Thórhallur Sigurdsson) in the titular role of an oppressed art teacher who has a very bad day. Both Rescue and Jóhannes look set to be among the year‘s most popular films.

The latest addition is veteran Hilmar Oddsson‘s December, which opened in the first week of November. Including excellent performances from Tómas Lemarquis (Nói albínói) and newcomer Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir (a.k.a. recording artist Lay Low), it‘s a sweet-natured coming-of-age story dealing with rather harsh realities of a family breakdown in the run up to Christmas. It has been met with a strong critical response. 

THE REYKJAVIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:
In spite of the economic upheaval, the seventh edition of RIFF, The Reykjavik International Film Festival (September 17-27), was the largest ever with over 100 films screened and also the most popular, with over 22.000 admissions. Director Milos Forman was the guest of honour and The Golden Puffin (The Discovery of the Year Award) went to 20 year old director and this year’s Director’s Fortnight winner Xavier Dolan for his debut film, I Killed My Mother (J´ai Tué Ma Mère). Check out the RIFF 09 reports from critic Gerald Peary, Film Comment‘s Laura Kern and Film Int.‘s Daniel Lindvall.

IN PRODUCTION:
The filming of Valdís Óskarsdóttir‘s King’s Road 7 wrapped in mid-October. The ensemble dramedy sees the cast of Óskarsdóttir’s debut film, Country Wedding, returning; including Gísli Örn Gardarsson (Children), Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (The Cliff), Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir (Parents) and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (the upcoming Stormland) in addition to German star Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds). The filming of Jumble, the debut feature of ad/promo director Baldvin Z, has also wrapped in Reykjavík and relocated to London for a few days. Based on two books by writer/actress Ingibjörg Reynisdóttir, the film is about Gabriel, a confused gay sixteen year old who’s trying to figure out who he is and where he stands in an ever changing and complicated world, along with a few of his closest friends. 

Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov has been filming his version of Faust since August in the Czech Republic and Germany. Filming moved to Iceland for several days in the beginning of November. Icelandic actor Sigurdur Skúlason (The Sea, Children and Astropia) appears in the film as Faust’s father. Other Icelandic actors will also appear in the film. The leading role of Faust is played by Russian actor and Sokurov regular Leonid Mozgovoy. Germany’s Hanna Schygulla also participates. 

ICELAND FILM SCENE – ABROAD:
Working Title Films plans a remake of the Icelandic thriller Reykjavik-Rotterdam, with Baltasar Kormákur (see headline pic of him above) as director and Mark Wahlberg as star. Kormákur produced and starred in the original, which got five Edda Awards last year and is Iceland’s foreign-language film submission for the upcoming Oscars.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired US rights to Dagur Kári’s The Good Heart, starring Brian Cox and Paul Dano. The film will be released within Magnolia’s Ultra VOD program next year, premiering on VOD platforms nationwide a month prior to its theatrical release.

Country Wedding by Valdís Óskarsdóttir was awarded the Northern Table, or Best Film Prize, in addition to the Audience Award, at the 10th Nordic Film Days in Riga, Latvia (October 16-24). The competition section of 14 Nordic feature films included Lars von Trier’s recent Nordic Council’s Film Prize winnerAntichrist and Lukas Moodysson’s Mammoth.

Wondering where to see Icelandic films around the world? Look no further. More than 20 new, recent and older features, docus and shorts are playing at nine festivals in eight countries on three continents in the coming weeks. 

Ásgrímur Sverrisson is the editor of Iceland Cinema Now.