Strange things happen on boats. Even more so on Icelandic fishing boats. This stark film from Iceland which came out in 2010 features some names that will be familiar to Nordic Noir fans: Olafur Darri Olafsson (Trapped) and Ingvar Eggert Sigurddson (Jar City). The film puts us face to face with some pretty serious, heavy topics such as death, mental health, loneliness and violence.
From what I can find out Brim (Undercurrent) was originally a play in the theatre (if you know different please let us know in the comments below) and it toured Iceland so it should be no surprise that the casting in the film is strong as the roles must have been well carved out on the stage. In the film everyone plays their parts so well that no one particular performance stood out. They are all great. The cinematography in the film is expert. The rusting vessel contains tiny nuggets of beauty as well as a good dose of claustrophobia and slime. It may even make you seasick.
The film is a great example of a particular style of Icelandic film; little dialogue, multilayered storytelling, an emphasis on how the forces of nature shape lifestyles and frank depictions of loneliness.
This film won 6 Edda awards in 2011 (Icelandic Film and Television Industry awards) and you can watch a trailer here
Nordic Noir would like to thank the members of this group who sent us the DVD to watch. It is very much appreciated. You can check out some more Icelandic film links here and here and my own personal recommendation is Cold Fever from 1995.
Nordic Noir 