Why we picked it – Another Icelandic black comedy? Are we in a rut with our film selection? This film certainly has moments of humour, but is more political than Grímur Hákonarson’s previous film Rams which we showed in 2016.

Synopsis – Inga is a struggling dairy farmer. After the mysterious death of her husband, she speaks out against the corruption and injustice of the all-powerful local Co-Op. They seek to crush her dissent and Inga fights back in classic underdog fashion, proposing the establishment of a new co-operative. Some of the neighbouring farmers support her; but others are too conservative, or too cowed. She needs all her resourcefulness and cunning to break free.

The film – The film is based on a true story from Iceland’s remote north-west. It is cleverly framed by its start and finish. In the opening scene, we see Inga handling a calving by herself in a confined barn, calm, unhurried, competent. You almost expect James Herriot. Almost from then on, Inga’s life is in turmoil; but the ending shows her breaking free in the wide windswept Icelandic landscape. Not a conventional, or unresolved, ending but integrity is ultimately rewarded.

Grímur Hákonarson, Iceland 2019 93 mins (12A). Writer: Grímur Hákonarson. Cast: Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir, Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson. Cinematography: Mart Taniel.

Links

Guardian review The Times review imdb entry

Trivia -You will probably recognise the actor who played the sensible brother in Rams (Sigurður Sigurjónsson) who was also in Under the Tree (shown in 2019). The actor who played the other brother in Rams (Þorsteinn Gunnar Bjarnason) is also here, but more difficult to spot.