Erlendur Sveinsson

Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Iceland, July 9, 2016. The surprising discovery of a canister —containing four reels of The Village Detective (Деревенский детектив), a 1969 Soviet film—, caught in the nets of an Icelandic trawler, is the first step in a fascinating journey through the artistic life of film and stage actor Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (1899-1981), icon and star of an entire era of Russian cinema.

A documentary about a pioneer of Icelandic film making, Óskar Gíslason, with excerpts from some of his most famous work.

At a local party in the suburbs of Reykjavik, Hanna (19) and Jonas (20) escape into the laundry room to share an intimate moment, but when boundaries are crossed the emotional aftermath of guilt quickly follows.

At a local party in the suburbs of Reykjavik, Hanna (19) and Jonas (20) escape into the laundry room to share an intimate moment, but when boundaries are crossed the emotional aftermath of guilt quickly follows.

Vala and Benni are on the road and struggle to find a mutual purpose in their new destination.

Vala and Benni are on the road and struggle to find a mutual purpose in their new destination.

This corporate documentary describes one year in the production of herring, starting with marketing speculations and research of the year's possible catch. It shows the herring caught at sea, landed, salted, and tended to until it is exported after passing rigorous quality control. Intertwined with this story is the history of the herring industry in Iceland.

This corporate documentary describes one year in the production of herring, starting with marketing speculations and research of the year's possible catch. It shows the herring caught at sea, landed, salted, and tended to until it is exported after passing rigorous quality control. Intertwined with this story is the history of the herring industry in Iceland.

This film is about the painter Sveinn Björnsson (1925-1997), and his struggles to perfect his art. Following a wide-ranging exhibition at the Kjarvalsstaðir Art Gallery in 1989, he has become tired of the fantasy style which he had been developing for thirty years. What needed to happen in order for him to create something new? What sacrifices would it involve? This film is about that struggle experienced by creative artists. The film is not a biography, or a learned review of the painter's style, but it does show a side of the man which very few see. One evening, he feels he is not alone in his studio; it feels as if some being is there who wants to help him.

This film is about the painter Sveinn Björnsson (1925-1997), and his struggles to perfect his art. Following a wide-ranging exhibition at the Kjarvalsstaðir Art Gallery in 1989, he has become tired of the fantasy style which he had been developing for thirty years. What needed to happen in order for him to create something new? What sacrifices would it involve? This film is about that struggle experienced by creative artists. The film is not a biography, or a learned review of the painter's style, but it does show a side of the man which very few see. One evening, he feels he is not alone in his studio; it feels as if some being is there who wants to help him.

This film is about the painter Sveinn Björnsson (1925-1997), and his struggles to perfect his art. Following a wide-ranging exhibition at the Kjarvalsstaðir Art Gallery in 1989, he has become tired of the fantasy style which he had been developing for thirty years. What needed to happen in order for him to create something new? What sacrifices would it involve? This film is about that struggle experienced by creative artists. The film is not a biography, or a learned review of the painter's style, but it does show a side of the man which very few see. One evening, he feels he is not alone in his studio; it feels as if some being is there who wants to help him.

The film is divided in four parts and traces the history of the Icelandic fishing industry from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The film is divided in four parts and traces the history of the Icelandic fishing industry from the Middle Ages to the present day.

This one winter's day encapsulates a thousand years fishing and seamanship in Iceland. We gain an insight into an inner and outer world, where manual labour, man's beliefs in nature, Christianity, superstition and even magic are interwoven. We are questioned if we could imagine how this world of the rowing boat crew, wich reflects the ancient class-divided society, really looked like? How did they percive the nature around them, their God in this nature, it's unstable weather conditions, it's harshness when they go to sea to harvest its riches to make it possible for themselves as well as their nation to keep on living on the edge of the habitable world? Here we are face to face with the very foundation of fishing nation's culture.

This one winter's day encapsulates a thousand years fishing and seamanship in Iceland. We gain an insight into an inner and outer world, where manual labour, man's beliefs in nature, Christianity, superstition and even magic are interwoven. We are questioned if we could imagine how this world of the rowing boat crew, wich reflects the ancient class-divided society, really looked like? How did they percive the nature around them, their God in this nature, it's unstable weather conditions, it's harshness when they go to sea to harvest its riches to make it possible for themselves as well as their nation to keep on living on the edge of the habitable world? Here we are face to face with the very foundation of fishing nation's culture.

A documentary about a pioneer of Icelandic film making, Óskar Gíslason, with excerpts from some of his most famous work.