For its population, Icelandic cinema is one of the most prolific in the world. The common thread: dark humour, boundless landscapes and characters who avoid talking.
Five films
Hrútar / Rams (2015, Grímur Hákonarson) Two sheep-farming brothers who haven’t spoken for forty years. A sheep disease hits them both at once. Winner of Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
Hross í oss / Of Horses and Men (2013, Benedikt Erlingsson) Interwoven stories in a rural valley, all framed through the eyes of horses. Absurd and harsh.
Kona fer í stríð / Woman at War (2018, Benedikt Erlingsson) A choir conductor who is secretly an environmental activist. The narrative game of having the musicians visible on screen is the film’s signature.
Hjartasteinn / Heartstone (2016, Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson) A summer in the East Fjords, two teenagers, a closed-in village. One of the most honest coming-of-age films.
Dýrið / Lamb (2021, Valdimar Jóhannsson) Folk horror. It divides audiences, but no film has captured the atmosphere of rural Iceland so well.
Where to watch
In Reykjavík, Bíó Paradís is the only cinema that screens Icelandic films in the original language with English subtitles. RIFF (Reykjavík International Film Festival) is at the end of September.
Written by
The person behind icelandify.com. Here I share the experience I’ve gained exploring every corner of Iceland since my first year here, and my passion for photography.
About Tansu →
