Reykjavík Grapevine - Jan 2023, Page 11

11The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1— 2023
Þrettánd Celebrations
January 6 — Multiple locations at
multiple times
Despite becoming Christian in the
year 1,000, Iceland has firmly held
on to many of its distinctly pagan
traditions. January 6 is known as
‘Þrettándi’ (the thirteenth), and is
supposedly the night when all of the
elves come out and wreak havoc. For
some reason, Icelanders celebrate
this with bonfires and traditional
singing! Each municipality hosts its
own bonfire, with the city of Reyk-
javík’s taking place at Ægisíða at
18:30. JG
Tertulia Festival
January 12 to 16 — Multiple
locations at multiple times
It’s not often we get to share a
brand new concept! Tertulia festi-
val, a music and dining experience
originating in New York, is hosting
its very first edition in Reykjavík!
They will be hosting two differ-
ent dinners, two breakfasts, and
one happy hour. Imagine yourself
dressed your best, enjoying an
incredible meal and dreaming away
on live chamber music in between
courses. Check out more on events.
grapevine.is. What’s not to love? KW
RVK Feminist Film Festival
January 12-15 — Multiple locations
The Reykjavík Feminist Film Festi-
val returns with its fourth edition,
focusing on all things horror. You
might have a love-hate relation-
ship with horror films, but remem-
ber that it’s a good opportunity to
acknowledge and celebrate film-
makers who identify as women.
The festival will also showcase films
competing for the Sister Awards
(their short film competition) and
host a few networking events, like a
pre-afterparty with flash tattoos at
Reykjavík Marina on Jan. 7. IZ
In the age of smartphones, our most
personal secrets are often stored away
in apps, folders, and notes on our
devices. But what would happen if all
of that sensitive information were to be
exposed? Director Elsa María Jakobsdót-
tir’s “Villibráð’” (“Wild Game”) explores
that scenario, telling the story of seven
friends at a dinner party in Vesturbær
who decide to play a game that puts their
relationships to the test. As secrets are
revealed and lies are exposed, the group
is forced to confront the consequences of
oversharing in the digital age. Will their
friendships survive the night, or will the
weight of their secrets tear them apart?
An Icelandic take on the
Italian story
With a background in journalism and
television, Elsa María Jakobsdóttir is a
well-known film director and screen-
writer in Iceland. She studied at the
National Film School of Denmark and
has received multiple awards for her
short films. 2023, will see the release of
both a TV series, and “Villibráð,” her first
feature film.
“Villibráð” is a remake of Paolo Geno-
vese’s 2016 film ‘Perfect Strangers,’ a dark
comedy with themes and characters that
Elsa is certain will appeal well to Iceland-
ers. “It's based on a concept that has been
remade all around the world: it's a dinner
party with seven characters. We’re using
the concept of the telephone game,” says
Elsa.
“Our aim with this film is to enter-
tain the Icelandic audience,” the director
affirms. Though she has won multiple
awards for her short films, there was
something freeing for Elsa in making her
first feature-length film specifically for
the local audience. “Nothing needs to be
translated. You don't have to worry that
nobody outside of this culture is going to
understand it.”
Bringing the movie to life
Elsa co-wrote the script with playwright
Tyrfingur Tyrfingsson. “We were work-
ing on something else,” she recalls. “Then
this concept came about and we decided
that we should try to make an Icelandic
version of this just as screenwriters and
see where that would go. It went very
well! We had so much fun writing it.”
Early on in the process, Elsa knew
that she wanted to direct the film, even
though she admits that making a remake
of an Italian movie as her first feature was
never the plan. “I didn’t see that coming,”
says Elsa.
While the script and idea developed
swiftly, production took longer. “We
thought that this would all have been
really quick — like a perfect COVID proj-
ect, because it's just seven characters in
a house,” says Elsa. “But then, of course,
as it happens with film, everything takes
much longer in development. So, COVID
was almost finished when we finally shot
the film last year.”
Doing impossible things
“One thing I've learned during the last
two years is how much being a film direc-
tor is about trusting and collaborating,”
admits Elsa. “The better that I get at
trusting and collaborating, the easier
things get.”
One of the key challenges Elsa faced in
making the movie was playing the wait-
ing game. “There's a lot more waiting
than I expected — waiting for finance,
waiting for things to move along,” she
shares. “It can be extremely frustrating,
and you can feel your life wasted a little
bit.”
Unlike most Icelandic films, “Villi-
bráð” is not a co-production, so it was
made with an entirely Icelandic crew.
“I just loved how extremely qualified
and talented people are. It was just
so reassuring to have all these fantas-
tic resources around me,” Elsa says,
mentioning the crew’s skill in problem
solving and overcoming every obstacle.
“The only option you have is to be doing
impossible things.”
CULTURE
NEWS
Friendships In Vestur-
bær Are At Stake
Icelandic cinema kicks off the new season with the premiere of “Villibráð”
Words:
Iryna Zubenko
Photos:
Art Bicnick
& Supplied
thIs Is the
culture sectIon
“Villibráð”
premiers in the
Icelandic cinemas
on Jan. 6.
Catch it with
English subtitles
starting Jan. 15.