Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.10.2013, Blaðsíða 27

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Minke whale tataki
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27 Film
The steady increase in Iceland’s domestic film production since 1979 can be
credited to the state-sponsored funding and reimbursements established to
facilitate the growth of this fledgling industry. Icelandic filmmakers can receive
official financial support in two ways. First, they can receive an official Film Fund
grant for any aspect of the film process, from script writing and development
to filming and production, from post-production to advertising and promotion.
Second, they can apply to the State Treasury for reimbursement of up to 20% of
the production costs incurred while filming in Iceland, provided that the resulting
films or TV shows are filmed in the country and “enhance domestic culture and
promote the history and nature of Iceland."
From the success stories of directors such as Baltasar Kormákur, who got his
start with the multi-awarded Icelandic film “101 Reykjavík” and is now making
Hollywood films like “2 Guns,” one can see the benefits of nurturing both the
domestic film industry and the Icelandic artists working within it. “It has been
proven by several experts that for every krónur we invest in Icelandic filmmaking,
the government would get four times back,” says Hrönn Sveinsdóttir, managing
director at Bíó Paradís, Reykjavík’s independent art house cinema. “That is why
the last government decided to increase their investment in Icelandic filmmak-
ing.”
Now, however, the Icelandic film industry is facing a major setback: in the
current national budget proposal, funding to the Icelandic Film Centre has been
threatened with cuts of 33%, which would reduce the film budget from 1.1 bil-
lion ISK to 735 million ISK. “It would be a real shame if the present government
misses the opportunity to invest in something so important on so many levels,
and continues to starve an industry that could be making them money,” Hrönn
says. “It is both short-sighted and irresponsible.”
What Is The Icelandic
Film Fund?
Words
Larissa Kyzer
Although the history of Icelandic cinema can be traced
all the way back to 1906 when Danish cinematographer
and screenwriter Alfred Lind produced a three minute
silent documentary in Iceland, domestic film produc-
tion—financed with Icelandic funds and directed by Ice-
landers—did not begin in earnest until 1979, when the
nationally-funded Icelandic Film Fund was founded. (The
Film Fund has now been incorporated into the Icelandic
Film Centre.) The first Icelandic film to receive support
from the Film Fund was Ágúst Gu!mundsson’s ‘Land og
s#nir,’ (“Land and Sons”), which premiered in January
1980. Since then, an average of three films a year have
been produced in Iceland, upwards of 100 films in total.