The Seagull's Laughter

The Seagull's Laughter 2001

5.80

Post-war provincial Iceland: around 1950, Freyja, who'd been a plump teen, returns from America, a widow with a 20-inch waist, seven suitcases of dresses, and a list of who ever wronged or slighted her. She moves in with an aunt and socialist uncle: finding a new husband is high on her agenda, and she's mistrusted by Agga, a pre-teen who's our eyes and ears. The social order and Freyja are more complicated than they seem at first, and so may be her prospects. Class divisions, families ties, pride, the onset of puberty, and the power of Eros sliver the ice.

2001

The Dance

The Dance 1998

5.50

Águst Guðmundsson directed this Icelandic period drama, adapted from the short story We Must Dance by William Heinesen, and set on an island in 1913. Pétur (Gunnar Helgason) narrates, recalling the days when mainlanders arrived for a wedding. Flirtatious Sirsa (Pálína Jónsdottir) marries Harald (Dofri Hermannsson), son of a wealthy landowner on the island. Offshore, a ship is sinking, so the men form a rescue party, returning with the captain, the engineer, and several sailors. With a storm gathering, the engineer dies. The clergyman requests an end to the festivities as a mark of respect. Sirsa protests, but her new husband brings the celebration to a halt. The group then fragments into different activities, drunken or otherwise, and the sensual Sirsa directs her attention toward the handsome Ívar (Baldur Trausti Hreinsson). The film's score features traditional folk music.

1998

Land and Sons

Land and Sons 1980

6.20

An Icelandic farmer's son decides to leave his farm, fiance, friends, dog and horse, during the depression before World War II, to start a new life somewhere else.

1980

Spooks and Spirits

Spooks and Spirits 2013

2.50

Ofeigur, the passed away father of Anna Sol walks again and starts to involve her life and her boyfriend, Ingi Brjann. The young couples are going to sell the house of the dead but Ofeigur is not very happy with that and tries to convince them not to do it. The intervention of the ghost is so irritating that Ingi Brjann tries to get him away by using methods from an old magic book.

2013

Golden Sands

Golden Sands 1984

8.00

A political comedy about the effects of the apparent discovery of gold in the sands near a small community on Iceland's south coast. Troops from the American NATO base "invade" the territory, journalists from Reykjavik arrive and the morals of the local inhabitants quickly turn topsy-turvy.

1984

Ingmar Bergman in Iceland

Ingmar Bergman in Iceland 1989

1

Based on an interview with Ingmar Bergman and footage taken during the director's visit to the Reykjavík Art Festival in 1986, this film focuses on Mr. Bergman's methods and philosophy on film direction.

1989