Undercurrent

Colour, 35 mm
Iceland, Poland, 2010, 95 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Sailors are not usually a gentle breed of men, and the crew of a small fishing boat is no exception. This Icelandic drama, focusing on a group of rugged seafarers who accept the presence of a woman on board, is based on the almost physical experience of sailing on rough seas and the claustrophobia triggered by a sojourn spent on a decrepit old vessel. After one of the old-time crewmembers dies, the captain brings his niece Drífa on board, a woman in a desperate situation who urgently needs help. Despite the clarity of the fisherman’s code – no women on board – the captain doesn’t let his niece down. Drífa sets sail on her first voyage, and ultimately the incredibly stormy weather is not the most dramatic of the tests she undergoes. Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson’s movie is marked by the North’s characteristically dreary atmosphere, and both the visual conception of the film and the accompanying soundtrack (music by the Icelandic group Slowblow) correspond to this chilling mood.

About the director

Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson (b. 1972, Reykjavik) graduated in direction from the Polish National Film School in Łódź in 2001. After his graduation short P. S., which screened at Cannes, he shot another short work entitled Anna’s Day (Annas dag, 2003). Then in 2006 he directed his feature debut Thicker Than Water (Blóðbönd), a film enthusiastically received by viewers and critics alike. The director serves as screenwriter or co-screenwriter on each of his films, and his work has screened at many international festivals (Clermont- Ferrand, Rome, Toronto, Edinburgh, and Cannes). Ásgeirsson also shoots commercials and promotional films, and teaches acting and direction. Undercurrent was awarded several Eddas – Icelandic National Awards (best film, actress, camera, editing, and music).