The Háskólabíó Grand Auditorium was sold out last night for the Nordic premiere of Wicker, attended by Alexander Skarsgård, who received an Honorary Award from RIFF. The event drew a full house and the atmosphere was electric, with great anticipation surrounding both the film and the actor himself. It is fair to say that a kind of “Skarsgård fever” had taken hold in the run-up to the screening, with demand for tickets far exceeding supply, despite the screening taking place in the largest cinema auditorium in the country. Excitement and energy built throughout the auditorium as the audience awaited the star’s arrival. When Skarsgård finally took the stage, the roof nearly came off Háskólabíó, and the audience’s enthusiastic response made it clear that the actor has a large following in Iceland. Skarsgård, one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, was presented with the RIFF Honorary Award for Creative Excellence by Hrönn Marinósdóttir, director of RIFF. In her presentation speech, Hrönn said, among other things: “Regardless of costumes, props, landscapes or the scale of the production, the script or the director, he brings something to the work that no other department can create: his presence. He can stand in a Viking landscape, covered in mud and blood, or sit silently in an impeccably tailored suit, and the camera always captures the same thing: an actor who makes us believe that behind his gaze, another story is always unfolding. […] In the eyes of a new generation of cinema-goers, Alexander Skarsgård has become a star in his own right. A name that will live on in our memories for years to come. Audiences will continue to discover him in films; laugh at his most eccentric characters, fear others, fall in love with some of them, and remember that distinctive face and those enigmatic eyes, with their unmistakable melancholy.” Following the screening, Skarsgård took part in a conversation with writer Andri Snær Magnason and answered questions from the audience. Skarsgård left Iceland this morning, having thoroughly enjoyed his short visit to the country. The Reykjavík International Film Festival runs through October 4.
