In his new film Woman At War, Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson (Of Horses and Men) offers a funny, smart and thoroughly engaging story revolving around a woman’s solitary fight against the establishment in this politically charged drama comedy. Starring Halldóra Geirharõsdóttir (Sense8) and with a screenplay from Ólafur Egilsson and Benedikt Erlingsson, the film uses dry humour and a quirky style to tell an urgent tale about the importance of preserving Iceland’s natural beauty from the dangers of industrialism.
From the outside Halla (Geirharõsdóttir) leads a quiet and normal life as a respected choir conductor. In her spare time however, our heroine is a highly motivated and fierce eco-warrior who has been waging a singular war against a local aluminium factory by causing power cuts on regular sabotage missions. Known to others only by her alias ‘The Woman of the Mountain’, Halla soon has to choose between continuing her noble mission,...
From the outside Halla (Geirharõsdóttir) leads a quiet and normal life as a respected choir conductor. In her spare time however, our heroine is a highly motivated and fierce eco-warrior who has been waging a singular war against a local aluminium factory by causing power cuts on regular sabotage missions. Known to others only by her alias ‘The Woman of the Mountain’, Halla soon has to choose between continuing her noble mission,...
- 5/11/2019
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
An artful fable that examines what it really means to save the world, Benedikt Erlingsson’s “Woman at War” is the rarest of things: A crowd-pleaser about climate change. Combining Paul Schrader’s dire urgency with Roy Andersson’s droll brand of despair — to cite two other filmmakers whose work has wrestled with the maddening, quixotic idea of a single person trying to redeem an entire planet — Erlingsson has created a winsome knickknack of a movie that manages to reframe the 21st century’s signature crisis in a way that makes room for real heroism.
Halla (Halldora Geirharosdottir) is a 50-year-old choir director with a song in her heart, a smile on her face, and a second life as Reykjavik’s peskiest eco-terrorist. The film’s playful and surprising prologue introduces us to Halla as she uses her bow-and-arrow to topple some of the power lines that stretch across the...
Halla (Halldora Geirharosdottir) is a 50-year-old choir director with a song in her heart, a smile on her face, and a second life as Reykjavik’s peskiest eco-terrorist. The film’s playful and surprising prologue introduces us to Halla as she uses her bow-and-arrow to topple some of the power lines that stretch across the...
- 3/1/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Magnolia Pictures has acquired the North American rights to writer-director Benedikt Erlingsson’s buzzy Cannes dramatic comedy “Woman at War,” the company announced Friday.
The film, a unique modern day fable about an Icelandic activist taking on big industry, recently premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week to high acclaim and won the SACD prize, which recognizes a screenplay from the French writers guild, and also won the Critics’ Week Grand Rail d’Or.
In “Woman at War,” Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) declares a one-woman-war on the local aluminum industry. She is prepared to risk everything to protect the pristine Icelandic Highlands she loves… until an orphan unexpectedly enters her life.
Also Read: Cannes Report, Day 10: What Will Win the Palme d'Or?
“‘Woman at War’ is a blast,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Director Benedikt Erlingsson has fashioned an incredibly bracing, original and modern tale and Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is an electrifying revelation in the dual roles.
The film, a unique modern day fable about an Icelandic activist taking on big industry, recently premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week to high acclaim and won the SACD prize, which recognizes a screenplay from the French writers guild, and also won the Critics’ Week Grand Rail d’Or.
In “Woman at War,” Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) declares a one-woman-war on the local aluminum industry. She is prepared to risk everything to protect the pristine Icelandic Highlands she loves… until an orphan unexpectedly enters her life.
Also Read: Cannes Report, Day 10: What Will Win the Palme d'Or?
“‘Woman at War’ is a blast,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Director Benedikt Erlingsson has fashioned an incredibly bracing, original and modern tale and Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is an electrifying revelation in the dual roles.
- 5/18/2018
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Icelandic comedy-drama “Woman at War” after it premiered at Cannes Critic Week.
The film, Benedikt Erlingsson’s follow-up to “Of Horses and Men,” is a modern-day fable about an Icelandic activist taking on big industry. It won the Sacd prize, which recognizes a screenplay from the French writers guild, and also won the Critics’ Week Grand Rail d’Or.
Variety’s Jay Weissberg said in his review, “Is there anything rarer than an intelligent feel-good film that knows how to tackle urgent global issues with humor as well as a satisfying sense of justice?”
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir stars as woman who single-handedly declares war on the local aluminum industry. She is prepared to risk everything to protect the pristine Icelandic Highlands she loves…until an orphan unexpectedly enters her life.
“‘Woman at War’ is a blast,” said Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles. “Director Benedikt...
The film, Benedikt Erlingsson’s follow-up to “Of Horses and Men,” is a modern-day fable about an Icelandic activist taking on big industry. It won the Sacd prize, which recognizes a screenplay from the French writers guild, and also won the Critics’ Week Grand Rail d’Or.
Variety’s Jay Weissberg said in his review, “Is there anything rarer than an intelligent feel-good film that knows how to tackle urgent global issues with humor as well as a satisfying sense of justice?”
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir stars as woman who single-handedly declares war on the local aluminum industry. She is prepared to risk everything to protect the pristine Icelandic Highlands she loves…until an orphan unexpectedly enters her life.
“‘Woman at War’ is a blast,” said Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles. “Director Benedikt...
- 5/18/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Is there anything rarer than an intelligent feel-good film that knows how to tackle urgent global issues with humor as well as a satisfying sense of justice? Look no further than “Woman at War,” , one electric pylon at a time. Commentators will be tumbling over themselves trying to define what kind of movie this is: comedy, musical, social drama, politically correct issue film. It’s all those except the last; political correctness implies one-dimensional preaching that narrowly cuts off conversations, whereas, whereas “Woman at War” deftly centralizes a profound humanity from which vital issues are comfortably suspended. Bound to be one of the hot sellers at this year’s Cannes, the film is likely to do bang-up business worldwide.
“Of Horses and Men” deliciously played with narrative conventions even as it astonished with pictorial surprises that continue to induce smiles five years later. Erlingsson’s sophomore feature tells a more...
“Of Horses and Men” deliciously played with narrative conventions even as it astonished with pictorial surprises that continue to induce smiles five years later. Erlingsson’s sophomore feature tells a more...
- 5/13/2018
- by Jay Weissberg
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Follow-up to Of Horses And Men sells to France, Denmark, Ukraine.
Benedikt Erlingsson’s A Woman At War has been pre-sold to France, where Jour2Fête has boarded theatrical rights and Potemkine will handle home video. In Denmark, Camera Film will distribute.
Producers Slot Machine sealed both of these early deals but Beta Cinema will handle the film’s international sales.
In Ukraine, Ufd will distribute; that deal was negotiated by the film’s Ukrainian co-producer Solar Media.
The film, now shooting, is Erlingsson’s follow-up to his debut feature Of Horses and Men, which won more than 20 awards including best new director at San Sebastián, best director in Tokyo, grand jury prize at Les Arcs, six Icelandic Edda awards and the lucrative Nordic Council Film Prize. It was Iceland’s submission to the foreign Oscar race in 2014.
A Woman At War will shoot for eight weeks, firstly on location in Iceland until the end of...
Benedikt Erlingsson’s A Woman At War has been pre-sold to France, where Jour2Fête has boarded theatrical rights and Potemkine will handle home video. In Denmark, Camera Film will distribute.
Producers Slot Machine sealed both of these early deals but Beta Cinema will handle the film’s international sales.
In Ukraine, Ufd will distribute; that deal was negotiated by the film’s Ukrainian co-producer Solar Media.
The film, now shooting, is Erlingsson’s follow-up to his debut feature Of Horses and Men, which won more than 20 awards including best new director at San Sebastián, best director in Tokyo, grand jury prize at Les Arcs, six Icelandic Edda awards and the lucrative Nordic Council Film Prize. It was Iceland’s submission to the foreign Oscar race in 2014.
A Woman At War will shoot for eight weeks, firstly on location in Iceland until the end of...
- 7/31/2017
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Ashley C. Williams, Tahyna Tozzi, Jack Noseworthy, Joel de la Fuente, Cary Woodworth, Darren Lipari, Ryan Cooper, Brad Koed, Sean Kleier, Bridget Megan Clark | Written and Directed by Matthew A. Brown
One of the key criticisms bandied about regarding horror movies in recent years has been the abundance of films which have focused on the brutalisation of women. Films like I Spit On Your Grave and its sequel, Maniac, Hidden In The Woods and many other films have focused on this aspect, some have done so in a manner which feels like it has a point to make, some do so veering close to doing it in an exploitative sense, indeed the BBFC felt so with the cut version of I Spit… Julia also fits into this rubric but while there are some aspects which are certainly problematic, as a film in its own right, it’s more interesting...
One of the key criticisms bandied about regarding horror movies in recent years has been the abundance of films which have focused on the brutalisation of women. Films like I Spit On Your Grave and its sequel, Maniac, Hidden In The Woods and many other films have focused on this aspect, some have done so in a manner which feels like it has a point to make, some do so veering close to doing it in an exploitative sense, indeed the BBFC felt so with the cut version of I Spit… Julia also fits into this rubric but while there are some aspects which are certainly problematic, as a film in its own right, it’s more interesting...
- 9/9/2015
- by Ian Loring
- Nerdly
Julia
Written & Directed by Matthew A. Brown
USA, 2014
Not all movies have a grand message or thought-provoking theme. Some movies are satisfied with being a beautiful orgy of sex and madness. Matthew A. Brown’s debut film, Julia, is a stylized bloodletting that pushes the limits of good taste and tests your allegiance to its heroine. A delightfully sordid affair that leaves you feeling all kinds of icky, this is a must-add to your October calendar.
Julia is the perfect companion piece to another wonderfully-dark 2014 revenge thriller, Blue Ruin. Only, instead of the protagonist being completely inept at the deadly arts, Julia Shames (Ashley C. Williams) was born to play the part. Wrapped beneath three layers of clothing and hiding behind giant “grandma” glasses, Julia is a cute but awkward girl who tries her best to be invisible. When she finally musters the courage to accept a date with the...
Written & Directed by Matthew A. Brown
USA, 2014
Not all movies have a grand message or thought-provoking theme. Some movies are satisfied with being a beautiful orgy of sex and madness. Matthew A. Brown’s debut film, Julia, is a stylized bloodletting that pushes the limits of good taste and tests your allegiance to its heroine. A delightfully sordid affair that leaves you feeling all kinds of icky, this is a must-add to your October calendar.
Julia is the perfect companion piece to another wonderfully-dark 2014 revenge thriller, Blue Ruin. Only, instead of the protagonist being completely inept at the deadly arts, Julia Shames (Ashley C. Williams) was born to play the part. Wrapped beneath three layers of clothing and hiding behind giant “grandma” glasses, Julia is a cute but awkward girl who tries her best to be invisible. When she finally musters the courage to accept a date with the...
- 10/21/2014
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Debut competition titles at cinematography festival unveiled.
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
A group of film industry veterans is launching a new film festival in Iceland, Stockfish Film Festival.
The inaugural festival is planned for Feb 19-March 1.
The organisers, led by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, say they want the event to focus on “a focus on industry networking, showcasing home-grown talent and Iceland’s fabled locations and attractive tax rebate.”
Stockfish is created by Iceland’s industry guilds to run at the country’s only arthouse cinema, Bio Paradis, which is located in downtown Reykjavik and backed by the guilds.
In addition to Fridriksson, the board also inclues Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson (Fk - The Icelandic Film Makers Association); Guðrún Edda Þórhannesdóttir (SÍK - Association of Icelandic Film Producers); Birna Hafstein (FÍL - The Icelandic Actors Association); Dögg Mósesdóttir (Wift - Women in Film and Television) and Sjón (The Icelandic Playwrights and Screenwriters Association).
The national Edda awards will be held during the festival and there is also cooperation with Kosmorama...
The inaugural festival is planned for Feb 19-March 1.
The organisers, led by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, say they want the event to focus on “a focus on industry networking, showcasing home-grown talent and Iceland’s fabled locations and attractive tax rebate.”
Stockfish is created by Iceland’s industry guilds to run at the country’s only arthouse cinema, Bio Paradis, which is located in downtown Reykjavik and backed by the guilds.
In addition to Fridriksson, the board also inclues Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson (Fk - The Icelandic Film Makers Association); Guðrún Edda Þórhannesdóttir (SÍK - Association of Icelandic Film Producers); Birna Hafstein (FÍL - The Icelandic Actors Association); Dögg Mósesdóttir (Wift - Women in Film and Television) and Sjón (The Icelandic Playwrights and Screenwriters Association).
The national Edda awards will be held during the festival and there is also cooperation with Kosmorama...
- 9/18/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Ashley C. Williams, Tahyna Tozzi, Jack Noseworthy, Joel de la Fuente, Cary Woodworth, Darren Lipari, Ryan Cooper, Brad Koed, Sean Kleier, Bridget Megan Clark | Written and Directed by Matthew A. Brown
One of the key criticisms bandied about regarding FrightFest in recent years has been the abundance of films which have focused on the brutalisation of women, something that even marked one of the festival’s usually rather fun “Turn Your Bloody Phone Off!” idents back in 2012. The recent I Spit On Your Grave efforts, Maniac, Hidden In The Woods and many other films have focused on this aspect, some have done so in a manner which feels like it has a point to make, some do so veering close to doing it in an exploitative sense, indeed the BBFC felt so with the cut version of I Spit… which played a couple of years ago. Julia also fits...
One of the key criticisms bandied about regarding FrightFest in recent years has been the abundance of films which have focused on the brutalisation of women, something that even marked one of the festival’s usually rather fun “Turn Your Bloody Phone Off!” idents back in 2012. The recent I Spit On Your Grave efforts, Maniac, Hidden In The Woods and many other films have focused on this aspect, some have done so in a manner which feels like it has a point to make, some do so veering close to doing it in an exploitative sense, indeed the BBFC felt so with the cut version of I Spit… which played a couple of years ago. Julia also fits...
- 8/22/2014
- by Ian Loring
- Nerdly
An Icelandic saga of sorts, Benedikt Erlingsson's Of Horses and Men is structured as a series of loosely intertwining parables about horses and the rural community whose lives revolve around them. These stories seem like they probably might have possessed some greater moral purpose at one time, but the points have since worn away with the passage of time; the tall tales have grown so exaggerated and romanticized, they hardly seem to be rooted in truth at this point. But I don't know, maybe a rider really has found themselves practically sandwiched between a horny stallion and a mare in heat and lived to tell the embarrassing story, regardless it certainly makes for entertaining cinema. Equally absurd is a drunkard who rides a horse out to sea to purchase two jugs of a potent elixir from a passing ship, or a novice rider who is forced to recreate the...
- 1/7/2014
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
By Terence Johnson
Managing Editor
Submitted for Oscar’s Foreign Language category, the Icelandic film Of Horses and Men missed the shortlist for this year’s Oscars. That miss however doesn’t speak to the quality of this film. Told as a series of interconnecting stories involving a small town and their relationship with horses, a stunning film that plays like a book of short stories come to life. It’s a film with a timeless qualities and a strong story, and is certainly one of the best foreign language films to have screened this year.
Of Horses and Men succeeds on several levels and like most movies that starts with a solid script. Since this is an area of Iceland most audience members don’t know about, it was important that the film find a quick way to engage you with the world and keep the story humming along.
Managing Editor
Submitted for Oscar’s Foreign Language category, the Icelandic film Of Horses and Men missed the shortlist for this year’s Oscars. That miss however doesn’t speak to the quality of this film. Told as a series of interconnecting stories involving a small town and their relationship with horses, a stunning film that plays like a book of short stories come to life. It’s a film with a timeless qualities and a strong story, and is certainly one of the best foreign language films to have screened this year.
Of Horses and Men succeeds on several levels and like most movies that starts with a solid script. Since this is an area of Iceland most audience members don’t know about, it was important that the film find a quick way to engage you with the world and keep the story humming along.
- 12/31/2013
- by Terence Johnson
- Scott Feinberg
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