Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.06.2009, Qupperneq 16

16
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 7 — 2009
Icelandic Films | Article
A Very Brief History of Icelandic Film Making
Icelandic Film Gets Its Very Own Exhibit
The history of film making in Iceland
only has an unbroken history going back
to 1977, and the somewhat underrated
Morðsaga. The subsequent period
is often referred to as the “spring of
Icelandic film making,” and in the early
80’s a slew of directors such as Ágúst
Guðmundsson, Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
and Þráinn Bertelsson emerged who
were to map out an Icelandic approach to
movie making.
In its first decade, Icelandic film
making had a very local slant. Films
such as Útlaginn (The Outlaw) and
Hrafninn flýgur (Korpen flyger) found
inspiration in the sagas, whereas as
popular comedies such Nýtt líf and Með
allt á hreinu had an Icelandic brand of
humour indecipherable to most other
people. In retrospect, it is surprising
how these first films emerged almost
fully formed from the brow of the Lady
of the Mountain, managing to capture
something of the national character, and
how little they owed to Hollywood.
Apart from Sweden, whose population
has a strange and, it seems, lasting love
affair with Hrafninn flýgur, Iceland’s
international film breakthrough came
in 1991 with Friðrik Þór Friðriksson’s
Börn náttúrunnar (Children of Nature).
That film was nominated for an Oscar,
and Friðrik subsequently made the most
expensive film in Icelandic history at the
time, Djöflaeyjan (Devil’s Island). Its
leading actor, Baltasar Kormákur, later
went on to international film success
with movies such as 101 Reykjavik and
Mýrin (Jar City).
While Icelandic films have become
ever more international in scope and
audience, they have arguably lost some
of their “Icelandicness.” In the 90s,
some comedies aimed mainly at the
domestic market, such as Sódóma
Reykjavík and Íslenski draumurinn,
were still being made. Lately, it seems
as if most films here have at least one
major non-Icelandic character and some
shots of nature coupled with scenes from
the Reykjavík nightlife to appeal to the
tourist market. Many of the bigger recent
films were co-sponsored by the banks,
so what effect the banking crisis will
have on local film making remains to
be seen. Some of the younger directors,
such as Grímur Hákonarson, with his
shorts about haunted Morgunblaðið
editors and gay wrestlers, seem to mark
a return to the more traditional Icelandic
oddball humour.
For those who want to learn more
about Icelandic movies, the current
exhibition in Þjóðmenningarhús
[Culture House] is a good place to start.
Although spring came late to Icelandic
filmmaking as, indeed, it usually does
here, it does have a history going back
almost a century. In addition to the
exhibit, many of the films can be viewed
on screen with aids such as headphones
and subtitles. The exhibit is arranged by a
couple of Germans, Sabine Schirdewahn
and Matthias Wagner K. But do they get
Icelandic humour? Grapevine asked
Sabine what her take is.
Take 1
How did you decide which movies to
include in the exhibition?
The exhibition includes two levels: on
the Film-Islands visitors are able to
select from approximately 100 films
in full length via touch screen from
genres such as feature film, short film,
documentaries and adaptations of novels.
The other level visualizes the chronology
of Icelandic film history through 10
screens, each showing 3–4 selected
clippings (between 2–5 minuets) in a
loop. The chronology enables – not only –
to take a time journey through Icelandic
film, but also to discover something
about the development of the nation.
Regarding the chronology we
decided on an exemplary selection of
films, respectively on film clippings,
that appeared to us as non-Icelanders
as characteristic for the distinctiveness
of Icelandic film industry, the historical
development of film in Iceland from
1904 until today, and catching the
vibes and the content of films that can
be viewed in full length – thus causing
curiosity.
Take 2
In some ways Icelanders have a different
opinion of their film heritage than the
outsider does. Films such as Með allt á
hreinu, Sódóma Reykjavík and Nýtt líf
are cherished by Icelanders, but don’t
seem to translate too well. Others, such
as Hrafninn flýgur and even Börn
náttúrunnar, are held in high esteem
abroad but haven’t found their way as
directly to Icelandic hearts. Do you have
any opinion on this? Is Icelandic humour
difficult to translate?
Humour that extends the line of slapstick
is generally difficult to translate for it
is based on collective knowledge and
includes oral as well as visual codes
oriented in the respective nation. The
drama on the other hand has a universal
coding/language. Everybody can imagine
how horrible it is to loose a child or when
the big love fails. The success of films
like Börn náttúrunnar and Hrafninn
flýgur abroad could maybe be explained
in the way that they satisfy an existing
image and myth of Iceland abroad and at
the same time deduct a transfiguration
with Hollywood. One is – and was –
fascinated by a “realistic” picture of the
history and a likewise “realistic” setting.
In the same way, one is impressed by the
Icelandic landscapes in the story told in
Börn náttúrunnar – with outstanding
actors – that has closeness to the myth of
a melancholy Icelander. The Icelanders
were probably also simply moved by
other themes in the years 1980/90
when these films were produced: after
years of poverty nobody wanted to look
back on old times and perhaps loss the
of traditions that came – and comes –
along in the progress of new prosperity.
The focus was more on the present and
participation in an upcoming, modern
Iceland.
Take 3
What are your next projects? Any chance
of having a fulltime Icelandic Film
Museum somewhere?
Matthias Wagner K. was appointed
curator for the art and culture programme
on the occasion of Iceland being guest
of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair
in 2011. Among other categories, the
Icelandic film and consequently this
exhibition will play a big role in that
relation. I find it important to expand
the exhibition and include a portrait of
Icelandic film directors and actors. This
exhibition would doubtless be adequate
to constitute a separate film museum.
But one could also imagine this
exhibition as a permanent exhibition
– as to say in the National Museum.
For now the point of this exhibition is
to awaken interest in Icelandic film
industry abroad and maybe to contribute
to an ideal and financial support among
friends and sponsors of Icelandic film
in the future – in Iceland and abroad.
On the first stops of the exhibition – in
Berlin and Copenhagen – the interest
was gigantic and visitors were surprised,
well, touched, by the depth and quality,
by the narrative style of the directors
and the splendidness of Icelandic actors.
Some visitors regretted the absence of a
purchasable DVD – this will hopefully
be mended in 2011.
Words
Valur Gunnarsson
Icelandic Films
Learn lots more at the Culture House!
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