Iceland review - 2015, Page 21

ICELAND REVIEW 19
Although filming didn’t begin until 2014,
Baltasar was approached to take on the
film several years earlier. “There was no
question in my mind that I wanted to do it.
For me it’s a dream project but it was very
difficult to finance it and get it all together.
On paper, it’s not an obvious choice com-
mercially. These sorts of movies are not
made anymore. It’s all about superheroes
now and this isn’t a heroic tale, it’s not a
Cliffhanger. It’s about real people—I tried
to be as truthful as possible and traveled
to meet some of the survivors in the story
as well as watch tapes and listen to radio
recordings from the time.”
Expectations for the film have been rising
since the announcement that it will open
the 72nd Venice Film Festival on September
2, following in the footsteps of Gravity in
2013 and Birdman last year. The Guardian
points out that the opening slot has proven
good luck for the awards race and describes
Everest as a real contender for a 2016 Oscar.
When I ask Baltasar about plans for pre-
miering the movie, the Venice news hasn’t
yet been announced so he can’t give me
any details. Two weeks later he gives me his
reaction by phone. “I knew that they were
going to try and get it shown at Venice but
this is way more than I hoped for. Having it
shown at a festival is one thing but to be the
opening film at Venice is something else.
It’s a bit worrying too, though. It was a bit
like ‘God damn it, that’s a lot of pressure!’
so there were mixed feelings. The films that
usually open receive a lot of praise and have
gone on to win many awards. There are a
lot of expectations. It’s fantastic though to
have this sort of platform to launch the
film.”
TO HOLLYWOOD AND BACK
This is shaping up to be a good year for
the 49-year-old director. Icelandic film
Virgin Mountain, which Baltasar produced,
took home the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival’s
jury award for Best Narrative Feature,
as well as the awards for Best Actor and
Best Screenplay. He also received the 2015
CinemaCon International Filmmaker of
the Year award.
While Baltasar has increasingly been
spending time abroad—his releases in
recent years include American films such
as Contraband, Inhale and 2 Guns—he’s
also been working on projects at home in
Iceland. He recently completed the tel-
evision drama series Trapped. Set in the
small fishing village of Siglufjörður, North
Iceland, the drama follows the investigation
of the murder of an unknown man who is
found in the ocean. Soon after, a blizzard
hits the town, making the only road in or
out impassable and trapping the residents—
and the murderer—inside the village.
I mention to Baltasar that Iceland Review
was in Siglufjörður during filming last
winter and that the locals seemed delighted
FILM
Baltasar in Nepal, where parts of Everest were filmed.