Reykjavík Grapevine - 26.08.2011, Blaðsíða 23

23
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 13 — 2011 How do you feel about Kvikmyndaskólinn's troubles?
Do they only have themselves to blame?
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THE FILM SCHOOL’S IN TROUBLE
A former student ref lects
Back To School | Trouble
Unequal financial situations that keep
some people from attending school; this
means less opportunities for individuals
in our society, and makes it even less
equal. That brings a truly terrible shared
fate: A multitude of individuals that are
less likely to maximize their potential,
resulting in a less productive and happy
society.
Even though the times call for a re-
sponsible debate on financial compro-
mises (as times usually do), debate in
universities by the representatives of
students, as all students, should in some
way break through the walls of the in-
stitution. I think the main difference
between the parties is in the minds of
these groups. Left/right, radical/con-
servative ideas that shape the way peo-
ple think, work and deliver. Ideas like
discrimination and yes, ideas on how
to get more money for the University,
thoughts on whether we should fight for
our rights only inside the University or
out in the public as well, and on which
levels. How far are we willing to go to
reach for our rights? Röskva and Vaka
have roots like I said, to the left and to
the right. Forty years ago, the move-
ments at HÍ were much more radical
than they are now. They debated the so-
ciety that we inhabit. Why shouldn’t stu-
dents say something about that? Maybe
we should. Maybe we should think more
about our neighbours. Take stand with
students and people around the world,
in Norway, China or in Libya. What do
you think?
If we go back to the University of Ice-
land, and look into the Student Council
Office, they are not writing articles on
Libya, but they are working hard. The
Student Council acts in the name of all
students in the University, and some-
times in the name of the students in Ice-
land. Loan deals, housing, preschools
for students’ kids, and taking care of us,
the students. That’s what we are fight-
ing for.
Guðfinnur Sveinsson is a member of
popular post-rock outfit For a Minor Re-
flection and he also is an active member
of the abovementioned Röskva (so his op
should be read with that in mind).
GUÐFINNUR SVEINSSON
Kvikmyndaskóli Íslands (The
Icelandic Film School) is in
trouble. It has through the
years been run with a finan-
cial contribution from the Icelandic
state along with the rather hefty school
fees it charges its students. The school
has repeatedly sought greater contri-
butions from the state, but has been
declined repeatedly with the Ministry
of Education, Science and Culture cit-
ing Iceland’s current financial situation
and the resulting cutbacks to every
educational institution. The school’s
rector is furious and claims the school
is in no position to operate without fur-
ther state funding. School is already in
session, but due to these complications
all courses have been delayed until No-
vember at least.
The school has been getting a lot
of attention lately because of its me-
dia wrestling match with the Minister
of Education. And now the school's
students are protesting by locking
themselves in the ministry's lobby. I'm
not picking sides because I honestly
haven't been paying much attention to
the whole thing. I am however a former
pupil there, and it is my honest opinion
that closing down the school would be
a horrible idea.
Filmmaking in Iceland is a fragile
little profession. Icelanders have only
been making films regularly since the
early 1980s, and one could argue that
the training wheels aren't ready to come
off yet. It can be discouraging if your
only option for education is abroad.
Moving to another country is not an op-
tion for everybody, but Kvikmyndaskó-
linn is.
Random loudmouths often say that if
you really want to learn filmmaking, your
only choice is studying abroad. That the
Icelandic school isn't good enough, and
that it doesn't have enough credibility
when it comes to applying for a job.
Well, less than fifteen years ago, Kvik-
myndaskólinn was just a short seminar
that nobody really cared about. Today
it's a real school. It's an actual place
where you can go and learn to make
films. Films on par with ‘Citizen Kane’ or
‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ if that's your thing.
And if the school keeps on growing at
its current speed, it might very well be
one of the world's finest film schools in
ten to twenty years. Who knows.
My two years studying at Kvikmyn-
daskólinn were wonderful and I learned
a lot. I don't know how good they look
on my CV, but I do know that I now know
how to make a film. Seriously. Do you
have 50 million krónur? Give it to me
and I'll make you a film. And it will be
the best film you ever saw.
HAUKUR VIÐAR ALFREÐSSON
"Love, compassion and toler-
ance, these things we cel-
ebrate."
These are the words of hardcore en-
thusiastic and former I Adapt vocalist
Birkir F. Viðarsson. These words could
also easily be used to describe the Hjal-
li model, or Hjallastefnan.
There are many reasons why the
Hjalli model is appealing, and there are
so many reasons why it works as well
as it does—and it does. The first thing
that comes to mind, when one wants to
describe Hjallastefnan and its schools,
is gender segregation. Hjallastefnan
promotes a system wherein children
work in small, gender-divided groups
for the majority of their schoolday.
Using this method, both genders get
nourished on their terms and both girls
and boys get the freedom to work on
honing their full range of good quali-
ties. Stereotypes do not prevail in those
circumstances.
Another key element is the fact that
everyone at school is required to wear
a school uniform, not only the children
but also the staff. This makes every
child equal to the next and helps avoid
bullying at school, but not only that—the
individual shines more once not judged
by his or her cover.
What might be the most important
ingredient in this mixture is respect.
Every child is greeted in the morning
by faculty and staff, and all communi
cations are respectful at all times. As
a matter of fact, we begin every school
year with these words as our guiding
light: “discipline, respect, behaviour,
courtesy and manners, and this how
we enter winter!”
Bóas Hallgrímsson teaches children at a Hjalli
model school when he’s not performing with
loud rawk outfit Reykjavík!
What Is ‘The Hjalli Model’?
BÓAS HALLGRÍMSSON