Kvikmyndapod: An Icelandic Cinema Podcast

Halló! A new Icelandic film reaches UK cinemas in March, and Rob and Ellie travel back to the land of ice and fire to talk all things The Love That Remains. Set in rural Iceland and shot in a similar way to Godland and A White, White Day, Hlynur Pálmason's latest is very different prospect. Lighter and more playful in tone but perhaps also a little more arty, The Love That Remains follows the lives of a fictional family over the course of a year after a divorce. Starring Saga Garðarsdóttir (Woman at War) and Sverrir Gudnason (Northern Comfort, Borg McEnroe)as parents Anna and Magnus as well as the director's three children (NEST), The Love That Remains is sweet, funny and occasionally fantastical. Iceland looks as good as ever! And there is a very cute Icelandic sheepdog call Panda 🐶 It out in the UK now and here is the (inexhaustive) list of UK cinemas showing The Love That Remains: Bristol Watershed – March 13th to 19th Belfast Queen’s Film Theatre – 20th March – 26th March Warwick Arts Centre - 20th March – 26th March Tyneside Cinema – 18th March London Garden Cinema - March 13th to 19th Manchester HOME – From March 13th London Lexi – March 27th to 31st Plymouth Arts Cinema – March 27th to April 2nd Dundee Contemporary Arts - March 27th to April 2nd Edinburgh Filmhouse - March 13th to 19th Film Theatre Glasgow – March 13th to 26th And if you'd like to hear the English language version of the trailer we played at the start of the episode you can watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ0fdmesr-w Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Instagram kvikmyndapod Bluesky @KVIKMYNDAPOD Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! This week Rob and Ellie contemplate the existence of draugar as they discuss recent release 'The Damned'. Director Thordur Palsson's debut feature bears many of the hallmarks of a KVIKMYNDAPOD film with its setting of an isolated village in the Westfjords, gorgeous scenery and a chilling atmosphere, but this one is in the English language. 'The Damned', an ominous and bitter horror/thriller set in 19th century Iceland, follows Eva and her fishing crew as they come across a shipwreck and are faced with the moral dilemma to either help, or prioritise their own survival. With a haunting score, brilliantly stark cinematography and cast of great British actors, this is a taut, tense and terrifying watch. Keep your eyes peeled for Rory McCann from 'Game of Thrones', Siobhan Finneran from 'Happy Valley', Joe Cole from 'Peaky Blinders' and the incredible Odessa Young from 'Assassination Nation'. Available in UK cinemas right now! Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Instagram kvikmyndapod Bluesky @KVIKMYNDAPOD Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! In this week's minisode Rob and Ellie, together with guest Natalie Peck, head to Reykjavík, by way of the BFI London Film Festival! In a non-spoiler discussion, they chat about the one Icelandic movie that had its UK premiere as part of the 2024 festival. That film is 'When The Light Breaks' starring Elín Hall, directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson, not the Icelandic footballer who plays in goal for the national team, but the director of the wonderful 'Echo' which was discussed in an earlier series, and with music by Jóhann Jóhannsson. The group also discuss a short film that recently dropped on Disney+, 'Fár' directed by Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter and with cinematography by Eli Arenson. Natalie can be found on X @nataliepeck Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Instagram kvikmyndapod X @KVIKMYNDAPOD Threads @kvikmyndapod Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! Rob and Ellie drop into your feeds to discuss a new football documentary - always striking while the iron is hot - titled 'The Home Game', or 'Heimaleikurinn'. Directors Smari Gunn and Logi Sigursveinsson bring the story of Reynir FC to cinemas; 25 years after his father created a pitch in a small town in the west of Iceland and failed to get the local team to play a match on it, Kari picks up the mantle and sets out to put together another team to play an FA Cup match on the pitch! And not lose 10-0... With great characters, surprising moments and an excellent score (pun intended) this feel-good underdog story demonstrates just how much community can mean and how sport can unite. Available to stream in Iceland, Sweden and New Zealand, 'The Home Game' can also be spotted at festivals around the world and will be playing soon in UK cities. Keep an eye on the film's Instagram for the latest on screenings! Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Instagram kvikmyndapod X @KVIKMYNDAPOD Threads @kvikmyndapod Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! Episode five finds Rob and Ellie in the UK! But not for too long as this week's film follows a group of people with a fear of flying boarding an exposure flight to, you guessed it, Iceland! Our Fearless Flyers include Sarah (played by Lydia Leonard), a competent business woman who wants to overcome her fear so she can go on holiday with her partner and his daughter; Edward (Timothy Spall), a popular writer and army veteran; Alfons (Sverrir Guðnason), a budding tech developer; and his partner Coco (Ella Rumpf) who needs Alfons to follow her around the world and take photos of her bum. Much madness and uncomfortableness ensues and there's even room for Icelandic actors Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Svandis Dora Einarsdottir, and English comedy actor Rob Delaney in a small but pivotal role. Not only does it start in the UK, but 'Northern Comfort' is in English, so no subtitles! This is 'Under The Tree' director Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson's English-language debut and it recently dropped on Netflix in the UK. Music by Daníel Bjarnason Cinematography by Niels Thastum Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on X @KVIKMYNDAPOD Instagram kvikmyndapod Threads @kvikmyndapod Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! Episode three finds Rob and Ellie taking an eccentric road trip south from the Westfjords of Iceland with Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson's Jón and his deceased mother, played by Kristbjörg Kjeld! Set in the 1980s, Hilmar Oddson's black and white comedy drama is an offbeat delight about a man coming to terms with what his life could have been and now could be. These revelations occur as he drives a beat up Ford Cortina across the unforgiving Icelandic terrain, bumps into some strange folk, and reminisces about a former lover (played by Hera Hilmar). Nominated for a whole host of EDDA Awards in 2024 (the Icelandic Oscars), this film deserves all the acclaim it's getting, including for Tõnu Kõrvits' score and Óttar Guðnason's cinematography. Released in the UK on the 1st March and travelling up and down the country throughout the coming months, 'Driving Mum' is one not to miss at your local indie cinema! A list of screenings can be found here. Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on X @KVIKMYNDAPOD Instagram kvikmyndapod Threads @kvikmyndapod Join in the conversation on Discord And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Kvikmyndapod is back for series 6! For episode one, Rob and Ellie invite you to a funny, stressful and cringe dinner party in Vesturbær. Directed by Elsa Maria Jakobsdóttir, 'Wild Game' is one of over 20 country-specific adaptations of the Italian movie 'Perfetti sconosciuti', 'Perfect Strangers'. This version features an all star Icelandic cast including Anita Briem, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Þuríður Blær Jóhannsdóttir, Gísli Örn Garðarsson and Hilmar Guðjónsson. A group of close friends get together and their biggest secrets are revealed during a game involving their mobile phones. Could it be that someone is cheating? Or that another is hiding their true sexuality? These questions will be answered! Available to watch with English subtitles via the RUV website until the 1st of March (here) this is an explosive start to the sixth series of Kvikmyndapod! Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on X @KVIKMYNDAPOD Instagram kvikmyndapod Threads @kvikmyndapod And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! This week, for Rob and Ellie's fifth trip around the cinema of Iceland, they head back out to the countryside for some creepy goings on at a remote cabin... The film under discussion this week is Erlingur Thoroddsen’s ‘Rift’, or ‘Rokkur’ from 2017. Gunnar (Björn Stefánsson) and Einar (Sigurður Þór Óskarsson) get to grips with their fractured relationship amid some spooky situations in the middle of nowhere. Questions abound in this stunningly shot and brilliantly acted indie horror movie. Available in the UK to rent or buy on Amazon or to stream on Flix Premiere or Revry. Thank you to those who have supported the podcast so far by donating to us via ko-fi! Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open) 47c7e93b9dff08c72bb8c91992edf54301ffb8ed

Halló! Episode three finds Rob and Ellie back in Reykjavík for a psychological thriller from first time director Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, who also wrote the film based on a book by Auður Jónsdóttir. 'Quake', or 'Skjálfti' from 2021 tells the story of an author and mother named Saga who, after an epileptic seizure, experiences memory loss at the same time as hidden memories of family secrets begin to resurface. With a brilliant central performance from Anita Briem, this is a cold, noir-ish look at how memory works, the cost of keeping secrets, and what it means to want to protect your family. Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Sveinn Geirsson and Jóhann Sigurðarson give great supporting turns as Saga's mostly well-meaning family, and Tómas Örn Tómasson's cinematography is suitably stark and beautiful. 'Quake' is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon. Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! It's series 5! And to kick things off for their fifth journey through the cinema of Iceland, Rob and Ellie are keeping things current with Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson's 'Beautiful Beings', or 'Berdreymi' from 2022! Available to watch on demand from today, Guðmundsson's second feature film focuses on teenage boys once again, except this time in the city. Set in the Reykjavik suburbs, this film focuses on a group of boys and the violence that surrounds them as Addi, Konni and Siggi befriend the bullied Balli and the four of them navigate the brutal world of noughties teenagedom. Starring a group of fantastic newcomers, as with 'Heartstone', as well as some stalwarts in Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Anita Briem, this is a beautiful but brutal coming-of-age drama with a surprising supernatural element. 'Beautiful Beings' is not for the faint-of-heart, but is richly rewarding should you choose to press play; wonderful performances, stunning cinematography and an interesting look under the surface of suburbia. Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod Get in touch via email kvikmyndapod@gmail.com And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! And so another journey through the cinema of Iceland ends. For this final episode of series four, Rob and Ellie discuss the multi-narrative drama 'Life in a Fishbowl' from 2014. Baldvin Z's second feature follows the lives of three Icelanders living in Reykjavik and the ways in which they influence each other, for better or worse. One is a single mother and occasional sex worker, one is an alcoholic writer, and the other is a footballer-turned-financial businessman. Starring Þorsteinn Bachmann, Hera Hilmar and Thor Kristjansson, this is a look at the real Reykjavik, the side that tourists don't often see. At times hard-hitting and tough to watch, at others beautiful and heartwarming, it's no wonder this was the Number 1 film in Iceland the year it was released. Rob and Ellie will return for a pre-Christmas special but in the meantime join us on social media and keep your eyes on your podcast feeds! Thanks to all our listeners, new and old, and to everyone involved in the films we've covered! Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! In this week's minisode Rob and Ellie journey, via Denmark, to the south east of Iceland, by way of the BFI London Film Festival! In a non-spoiler discussion, they chat about the one Icelandic movie that was shown as part of the festival in 2022. One of only eight films in Official Competition! GODLAND Directed by Hlynur Pálmason Written by Hlynur Pálmason Starring Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Sigurðsson, Vic Carmen Sonne, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir and Jacob Lohmann Please subscribe, rate and review and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)

Halló! Week two finds Rob and Ellie heading a third of the way round the country, from the south towards the Westfjords, for 'Rams' director Grímur Hákonarson's second feature film 'The County'. Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir plays Inga, one half of a farming couple left to fight a local farming co-op for their bullying and shady keep-it-in-the-community tactics. With true life story elements, calm and incredibly composed cinematography from Mart Taniel, and a complex central performance from Egilsdóttir, this is not just a rehash of elements seen before on the pod, but a fascinating look at how small communities may deal with the changing face of farming and commerce in Iceland. Also starring Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson, Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Þorsteinn Bachmann and Hannes Óli Ágústsson. Music by Valgeir Sigurðsson Please subscribe/follow, rate and review on Spotify and Apple and Follow us on Twitter @KVIKMYNDAPOD and Instagram kvikmyndapod And if you fancy supporting us, why not sling us the cost of a coffee! Artwork designed by Sophie Watts (justahappyspace) Music by Branches Bare ('Half-light' from the EP 'In the Origami Folds of the Night You Rip the Seam of Sleep Wide Open)