Hi everyone! As many of you know, I am up in Iceland’s business. I’ve been there three times, and I’m in the midst of making a documentary film that compares Iceland and America’s relationships to the theatre.

However, as much as I love the country, there are still things about it that I don’t understand: You can’t get the complete feel for a culture in just a few visits, you know?

But if you live in Iceland, then you can figure some things out. That’s why I’m thrilled to welcome Jessica Bowe to the Critical Condition. An American ex-pat who’s now living and studying in Iceland, she writes the fantastic blog Icelandish, where she charts her immersion in a new world.

I asked Jessica to give us a taste of what it’s like to be an American watching Icelandic movies, and after the jump, she’ll describe all the crazy stuff she’s experienced in the cinemas of Reykjavik. Even if you’ve never been to Iceland, I’m sure you’ll agree that her report is delicious.

And now… take it away Jessica!

(Note: I took that photo of the Precious poster when I was in Reykjavik last month. I wanted to learn how to say “Based on the novel Push by Sapphire” in Icelandic.)

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Sad Movies for Happy People

By Jessica Bowe

With the exception of a few collapsed banks, corrupt business tycoons, and unpredictable volcanoes, Iceland is one of the happiest places on earth; a notable Icelandic blogger even refers to it as Niceland. Consider this:

• Iceland ranked third in 2009 in the UNDP Human Development Index, a measure of social well-being indicators
• Iceland was the fourth “most peaceful nation” in 2009 according to The Global Peace Index (GPI).
• Iceland ranked as fourth “happiest country” in the University of Leicester’s World Map of Happiness while Iceland got third place in the World Happiness Database (Erasmus University, Rotterdam).

With so much going for you, dear Iceland, why are your movies so depressing?

First Impressions

Not all Icelandic movies are sullen, but the typical film may give foreigners the impression that Iceland is an utterly depressing place – that to be born Icelandic is some sort of curse, as if it would just be best to throw oneself into the fiery fissure of the Fimmvörðuháls volcano.

My first Icelandic film experience was 101 Reykjavik, back in Wisconsin when I first started dating my Icelandic boyfriend. As a sarcastic Midwesterner with a flair for indie-flicks, I loved the dark humor, the slacker-protagonist’s dry wit, and the vignettes of Reykjavik’s epic nightlife. However, knowing little about Iceland at that time, my first impression of the country was that Icelanders were incapable of feeling joy unless completely wasted. (After 2 years of living in Iceland, I still believe that’s mostly true.)

My second experience was Noí Albínoí (Noí the Albino), one of the headliners at the Wisconsin Film Festival in 2004. Again, I was blown away by the quirky characters, the cinematography, and the snowy surroundings. But ultimately the movie left me feeling glad that I didn´t live in Iceland. (How ironic that I now live in Iceland.)

And then there was Djöflaeyjan (Devil´s Island), a DVD sent by my boyfriend´s mother, which, as the New York Times described, is “a lonely circle of hell, but not all despair”.

Lost in Translation

Movies act like windows into a society’s soul, so the first step to understanding Icelandic cinema is understanding the culture. But it’s not an easy culture to explain — it’s a bit like an inside joke: “You just had to be there”.

Many people (namely my fellow Yanks) associate Iceland with Björk, elves, sexy blondes, and Vikings, so it can be shocking to see a more “realistic” depiction of Icelandic culture. After we moved to California in 2005, we took it upon ourselves to share this mysterious and misunderstood culture by lending our Icelandic DVD collection to friends. This practice usually elicited some interesting responses.

“It was just so dark and depressing…I didn’t like it at all!” lamented one friend after viewing Mýrin (Jar City). I admit that it’s a rather somber flick, so I couldn’t say that I was surprised; we had more or less predicted such disappointment from a native of California.

Sunny, happy-go-lucky, celebrity-crazed California is a far cry from the stark landscapes, stoic personalities, and dark sense of humor that makes Iceland unique. Over the years, I’ve found that most Americans are about as receptive to Icelandic films as they are to tasting hákarl, a traditional Icelandic delicacy composed of rotten, pissed-on shark. It’s something to try once, but it may not warrant a repeat performance. (When I was in Iceland for the first time, I smelled hákarl at a Reykjavik flea market. That was enough for me — Mark)

Happy Endings are for Losers

Icelandic films have a certain je ne sais quoi, or shall I say ég veit hvað ekki, and exude a sort of ambient quality, a beautiful melancholy not unlike the otherworldly sounds of Sigur Rós. An informal qualitative study (done by yours truly) of online reviews of popular Icelandic movies uncovered these most common descriptions:  Beautiful scenery; Haunting; Tragic; Dark.

Adding to the somber nature of certain Icelandic films is the use of color grading, a process of altering or enhancing a motion picture’s color. Icelandic filmmakers seem fond of muting the color palette to create gloomy effects: cloudy days get darker, shadows thicken, mountains become more imposing, and everyone looks sickly. Compare a movie like Amelie with Mýrin (Jar City) and notice the striking contrasts in color and mood.

Furthermore, unlike most typical Hollywood movies, Icelandic films don’t always have a happy ending. In fact, it’s more likely that a movie’s protagonist will suffer great hardships by a film’s ending: a village is wiped out by an avalanche; fishermen drown; a family dissolves.

There’s a reason Icelandic movies aren’t all cheery and cute. Iceland is not a “happy ending” kind of place; hardships have been ingrained in this society. Only 100 years ago, Iceland was one of the poorest countries in Europe, and over the course of its 1,100-year history it has endured oppressive poverty, plague, famine, volcanic eruptions, colonial exploitation, and a climate that forbids all but the hardiest of life forms. Add to that the long, dark Arctic winters, where the sun barely makes an appearance for months. This is all starting to sound like a country music song…

Sad isn’t all Bad

I’ve come to appreciate the darkness of Icelandic films, once I lived here long enough to understand it. Icelandic films are merely extensions of the national psyche – a reflection of strong-willed people who are accustomed to dealing with whatever disasters nature (or other people) throws their way. It makes me think of a popular Icelandic saying thetta reddast, which translates to something like “it will all work itself out”.

One of my Icelandic acquaintances explained the thetta reddast principle like this: “Shit happens. We deal with it and move on; we don’t like to fixate on situations outside our control. Sometimes, when dealing with problems or tragedies, we joke about it – though that might seem cold to foreigners. I guess we have a warped sense of humor, but I like to think of it as a clever survival mechanism.”

Iceland is really just a happy little place obsessed with making sad movies, unlike the U.S. – the Prozac Nation – where disillusioned masses are continually force-fed buckets of syrupy happiness by Hollywood. There are benefits to watching an Icelandic movie: you’ll surely feel better about your own miserable life afterward, or maybe you’ll gain new perspectives on how to deal with personal tragedies. Lost your entire family and close friends to a catastrophic avalanche? Look on the bright side – now you’re free to move to a tropical paradise!

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STATS & LINKS:

Some Random Icelandic Cinema Statistics

Number of movie cinemas in Iceland (multiplexes & single-screens, 2008): 18

Showings of films (2008): 166

Showings of Icelandic full-length films (2008): 8*

Showings of American full-length films (2008):  134 (81% of distribution)

*Icelandic films accounted for only 4% of full-length films shown, but made up 10% of gross box-office revenue. Iceland Cinema Now reports that 16 Icelandic films (feature films and co-productions) were produced in 2009.

(Sources: Statistics Iceland)

Iceland Cinema Now: Film news, analysis, opinions, trailers, and more

Icelandic Film Centre

Iceland Film Commission: run by Invest in Iceland Agency, commissioned by Trade Council of Iceland & Ministry of Industry and Commerce

Reykjavik International Film Festival

The Icelandic Film School

Icelandic Film Makers Association