Icelandic films are held in high regard at the University Cinema this weekend at the film festival. RIFF which is currently at its peak but will end in a week.
A number of Icelandic films that have not been shown before in this country will be premiered, including tomorrow, Sunday, the documentary The day Iceland stopped, which is about International Women's Day in 1975, Togolese by Ölda Lóa Leifsdóttir, which is about music camps in the spirit of rock girls that have been set up in Togo by the singer Mirlinda.
Structures which is the debut of Gútav Geir Bollason, whose film was very well received at the Rotterdam Festival earlier this year. In addition, a number of new Icelandic short films are being premiered, including by Erlend Sveinsson, Blæ Hinriksson, Gríma Geirsdóttir and Birna Ketilsdóttir.
The Icelandic film will be shown on Monday. Grief level and the musician known from Kaleo, Þorvaldur Gaukur, will chat with psychologist Pétur Tyrfingsson about grief and grief reactions after the film. Concert in the spirit of the film Grief level will then take place at the Nordic House on Wednesday where Þorvaldur Gaukur will perform along with Davíð Þór Jónsson and Skúla Sverrisson.
RIFF is not just about movies, as the lobby of the University Cinema has been transformed into a bar and lounge where you can socialize, relax and chat about movies. In addition, there will be food trucks in the area throughout the festival.
You can read more about the films, buy tickets and view the RIFF program at www.riff.is
The Day Iceland Stood Still
The film tells the true story of 12 hours of strike action by 901,000 Icelandic women on Women's Day in 1975, temporarily paralyzing Icelandic business and putting Iceland at the forefront of the international fight for gender equality. This is the true story of the 12 hours that sparked a revolution.
The film will premiere at Háskólabíó at 7:15 PM on Sunday, October 1st, where Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdottir and Pamela Hogan, The film's directors will be present for Q&A sessions, as will many of the women who participated in Women's Day. The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, will also be present at the screening.
Togolisa / Togolisa
Is the first documentary by Ölda Lóa Leifsdóttir, a director who won an award at the City of Angels Women's Film Festival for Best Documentary.
Togo, fall 2019. Singer Mirlinda, Tatas, and chef Sisi, are hosting a music summer camp for the fourth time. 40 Togolese girls are participating. Some of the girls from last year are returning. Five days of play, dance, and participation are followed by a concert for the parents. It is a live film screening with music and dance.
The film will be shown at the University Cinema on Sunday, October 1st, and will be preceded by a concert featuring Mirlinda.
Structures
A remarkable blend of documentary, avant-garde and fiction from director Gústav Geir Bollasyn, which investigates an abandoned building on the north coast of Iceland. Progress in the ruins, where "workers" can be seen, participate in or contribute to the building's decline. Creatures, animals and plants that come into contact with the building affect it, each in their own way.
RIFF 2023 Short Film Competition
A number of Icelandic short films are also being screened as part of the RIFF short film competition. The first part of the films was shown today at Háskólabíó at 11:00, while the second part will be shown on Sunday at 11:00.
RÚV and Trickshot will award the best Icelandic short film at RIFF 2023. RÚV will purchase the short film for screening and Trickshot will give the winner a 300,000 ISK gift certificate.
Examples of exciting directors participating in the competition include Hörður Freyr Brynjarsson, who directs the film "Stages" or "Graveness". A concert in connection with the film will be held on October 4th at the Nordic House where Skúli Sverrisson, Davíð Þór Jónsson and Þorleifur Gaukur, harmonica player Kaleo play music from the movie.
Also worth mentioning Erlend Sveinsson who sends the picture "Moon Pie Vanilla" which is having its world premiere in the competition. He has previously released numerous short films and directed, among others, the musical film "Fly Up x Carefully" with the musician Aaron Can.
It can also be mentioned Brynja Valdís Gísladóttir an actress who many people know from Icelandic films. She has previously released the short films "Once Upon a Time" (2009) and "Family" (2008).
The pictures on display are:
Moon Pie Vanilla
Erlendur Sveinsson
Stages / Grief Stages
Hordur Freyr Brynjarsson & Stroud Rohde Pearce
Together / Shop
Isaac Hinriksson
All Around
Birna Ketilsdottir Schram
Bookswapping (Late summer in Reykjavík)
Bergur Arnason
Sorrow Eats the Heart
Haukur Hallsson
That Time at the Beach / Strandglöp / Huller i Sandet
Oddur S. Hilmarsson
Primal Instinct
Brynja Valdis Gisladóttir
Nature Bonds
Sven Peetoom, Gríma Irmudóttir, Jonathan Damborg
Vestige / Traces
Joe Simmons
The jury for the competition includes:
Marek Hovorka
Founder and director of Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.
Tatiana Hallgrimsdottir
Director of Culture at The Reykjavik Edition.
Bui Dam
Director, actor and musician.