Iceland is one of the most interesting places in the world. For all intents and purposes, it can look and feel like being on another planet. At the same time, it’s not off-putting in any way. I’ve actually been to Iceland. It’s a really beautiful and unique place, and that’s putting it mildly. So, it’s a shame that more cinema isn’t coming out of the country. The potential for striking visuals and intriguing stories are almost endless. Luckily, opening this week is one Icelandic option in the comedy Woman at War. It won’t necessarily make you book a trip after seeing the film, but it is an amusing and well made bit of foreign cinema, something that’s always welcome in the early parts of any year. The movie is a comedy about the lengths that someone will go to stand up for what they believe in.
- 2/26/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Director’s RVK Studios, producer of TV series Trapped, buys space outside Reykjavik as potential home for local and foreign shoots.
Actor and director Baltasar Kormákur, founder of RVK Studios, has purchased four industrial buildings on 20,000 square metres of land on the outskirts of Reykjavik, where he plans to set up sound stages and post-production operations.
Speaking to Screen during the recent Reykjavik Film Festival, the Everest director said of the site, which sits within the borders of Iceland’s capital: “It’s a film village, but it’s also the beginning of a creative village, a village of creative industries for Reykjavik.”
RVK paid around $2.6m for the land and solid post-war buildings.
The former home of a fertiliser repository has at least one structure of 3,000 square metres, plus space in three other buildings for post-production of Icelandic and inward investment films shooting in the country.
Kormákur said that a hotel might also be built on the...
Actor and director Baltasar Kormákur, founder of RVK Studios, has purchased four industrial buildings on 20,000 square metres of land on the outskirts of Reykjavik, where he plans to set up sound stages and post-production operations.
Speaking to Screen during the recent Reykjavik Film Festival, the Everest director said of the site, which sits within the borders of Iceland’s capital: “It’s a film village, but it’s also the beginning of a creative village, a village of creative industries for Reykjavik.”
RVK paid around $2.6m for the land and solid post-war buildings.
The former home of a fertiliser repository has at least one structure of 3,000 square metres, plus space in three other buildings for post-production of Icelandic and inward investment films shooting in the country.
Kormákur said that a hotel might also be built on the...
- 10/19/2016
- ScreenDaily
In housekeeping news, snicks would like to beg your forgiveness for not having a Briefs yesterday, but he was overwhelmed by the liveblog of Liz & Dick. He'll be making it up to you today with a liveblog for Days of Our Lives.
In a new interview, Dolly Parton denies that she's in a secret lesbian relationship with her childhood friend Judy Ogle. But she loves her gay fans, and talks about entering a drag contest as Dolly Parton at a gay bar, and also about the threats she's received from the Kkk for Gay Days at Dollywood, the amusement park she owns. “When it first started there were people giving us threats, I still get threats. But like I said, I’m in business. I just don’t feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody.”
An Alabama woman was beaten by the 18 year old brother of her lesbian partner over the holidays,...
In a new interview, Dolly Parton denies that she's in a secret lesbian relationship with her childhood friend Judy Ogle. But she loves her gay fans, and talks about entering a drag contest as Dolly Parton at a gay bar, and also about the threats she's received from the Kkk for Gay Days at Dollywood, the amusement park she owns. “When it first started there were people giving us threats, I still get threats. But like I said, I’m in business. I just don’t feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody.”
An Alabama woman was beaten by the 18 year old brother of her lesbian partner over the holidays,...
- 11/27/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
British The X Factor Union J member Jaymi Hensley has come out as gay on the advice of mentor Louis Walsh. “I spoke to Louis about this and he said, ‘put it this way, both of my big boybands had a gay member in them.’ So he said it fits the formula quite well! Every boyband has got to have a gay one! And Louis just said ‘do it’.” For the record, he's taken, with a boyfriend of three years.
The Mayor of Reykjavik, Jón Gnarr, who has always been a huge supporter of equality, felt the need to comment on anti-marriage protesters in France with the blunt, yet true statement “Homophobia is not a phobia. They are not scared. They are just a bunch of assholes.”
Not only is David Geffen getting his American Masters special on PBS this week, he just dropped $55.4 million on a $12,000 square foot coop apartment in New York.
The Mayor of Reykjavik, Jón Gnarr, who has always been a huge supporter of equality, felt the need to comment on anti-marriage protesters in France with the blunt, yet true statement “Homophobia is not a phobia. They are not scared. They are just a bunch of assholes.”
Not only is David Geffen getting his American Masters special on PBS this week, he just dropped $55.4 million on a $12,000 square foot coop apartment in New York.
- 11/19/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
In case you haven't heard, the economy hasn't been doing that well for the past few years. No country has felt the economic crisis so keenly as Iceland, where the collapse of a once-soaring economy left citizens feeling betrayed by their politicians. Against this backdrop rose an unlikely political hero: Jón Gnarr, the comedian who ran for mayor of Reykjavík as a joke… and won. His campaign—in which he promised to build a Disneyland in the city and refused to talk to his opponents if they hadn't watched "The Wire"—was filmed, from start to finish, by Gaukur Úlfarsson for his feature documentary Gnarr.
- 2/9/2012
- MovieMaker.com
In 2009, with Iceland falling on hard times, local comedian Jón Gnarr came up with an unlikely solution by inventing the 'Best Party' and running for office to mock both left and right parties. And then he won. The documentary "Gnarr" recounts his entertaining journey on eventually becoming the mayor of Reykjavik despite all odds. The film played at last year's Tribeca Film Festival (where Indiewire reviewed it) and now Focus World is releasing it on VOD February 7. Indiewire has the exclusive trailer for the raucous documentary. Check it out below:...
- 1/13/2012
- Indiewire
New York, December 19th, 2011 – Focus World, the unique digital distribution initiative owned and operated by Focus Features, has closed deals on its slate for the first quarter of 2012. The announcement was made today by Focus President Andrew Karpen. The deals were closed by Avy Eschenasy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning, Business Affairs and Acquisitions, with Manager, Digital Content Kent Sanderson. The new Focus World selections include The Broken Tower, directed by Academy Award-nominated actor James Franco, which will be released digitally on January 10th; Gaukur Úlfarsson’s documentary feature Gnarr, which will be released February 7th; and Liza Johnson’s Return, which will be released February 28th. Launched earlier this year, Focus World identifies and curates the most exciting voices in international and independent cinema. Part of Focus Features’ multi-platform strategy, Focus World presents titles of genuine vision and originality as premiere releases on Est, iVOD, and VOD, along with DVD and other formats.
- 12/19/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
By Sam Weisberg - April 26, 2011
Gaukur Úlfarsson's documentary "Gnarr" follows the efforts of Jón Gnarr, an Icelandic comedian/TV show actor/perpetual goofball, to become Mayor of Reykjavik. A brief prologue provides a glimpse, as did "Inside Job," into the 2008 financial crisis in Iceland, in which the country's three largest banks collapsed and were subsequently nationalized, leading to a still ongoing recession. The government took its fair share of the blame, and Iceland, it seems, is holding out for a hero.
In 2009, Gnarr launched his own platform, the Best Party, initially as a joke. In promotional webcasts, in TV ads, even at public forums, he called for a variety of reforms that wouldn't normally be prioritized by "serious" politicians. Among them: instead of shooting stray polar bears, put them in the zoo; build a Disneyworld at the airport; and don't allow anyone into politics that hasn't seen "The Wire" in its entirety.
Gaukur Úlfarsson's documentary "Gnarr" follows the efforts of Jón Gnarr, an Icelandic comedian/TV show actor/perpetual goofball, to become Mayor of Reykjavik. A brief prologue provides a glimpse, as did "Inside Job," into the 2008 financial crisis in Iceland, in which the country's three largest banks collapsed and were subsequently nationalized, leading to a still ongoing recession. The government took its fair share of the blame, and Iceland, it seems, is holding out for a hero.
In 2009, Gnarr launched his own platform, the Best Party, initially as a joke. In promotional webcasts, in TV ads, even at public forums, he called for a variety of reforms that wouldn't normally be prioritized by "serious" politicians. Among them: instead of shooting stray polar bears, put them in the zoo; build a Disneyworld at the airport; and don't allow anyone into politics that hasn't seen "The Wire" in its entirety.
- 4/25/2011
- by Screen Comment
- Screen Comment
In 2009, as Iceland struggled to survive its debilitating economic crisis, local comedian Jón Gnarr came up with an unlikely solution. Launching "The Best Party" initially to satirize the country's ineffectual and power-hungry leaders, Gnarr's farcical campaign to become the mayor of Reykjavik slowly gained momentum, a phenomenon that culminated with his election last year. A deadpan humorist with equal doses of Jon Stewart understatement and the is-he-punking-us irreverence of ...
- 4/23/2011
- Indiewire
Reviewed by Randee Dawn
(April 2011, screening at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival)
Directed by: Gaukur Úlfarsson
Featuring: Jón Gnarr
Some say politics are a joke. But it takes real cojones to actually elect a comedian.
Meet Jón Gnarr, a former punk musician-turned-comedian who resembles a younger Eddie Izzard (sans makeup) and until recently was best known in his native Iceland for his edgy, satirical humor. (This is a guy who will do a faux commercial for an album of Adolph Hitler’s love songs.) But following his country’s financial meltdown in 2008, he came up with his biggest joke yet: the Best Party, a political organization that would help him run for local office in Reykjavik. Qualifications? As he states in a webcam video, Gnarr can drive a truck, nearly earned his maritime license and once worked in a mental ward.
That works. So he builds his campaign on ridiculous promises,...
(April 2011, screening at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival)
Directed by: Gaukur Úlfarsson
Featuring: Jón Gnarr
Some say politics are a joke. But it takes real cojones to actually elect a comedian.
Meet Jón Gnarr, a former punk musician-turned-comedian who resembles a younger Eddie Izzard (sans makeup) and until recently was best known in his native Iceland for his edgy, satirical humor. (This is a guy who will do a faux commercial for an album of Adolph Hitler’s love songs.) But following his country’s financial meltdown in 2008, he came up with his biggest joke yet: the Best Party, a political organization that would help him run for local office in Reykjavik. Qualifications? As he states in a webcam video, Gnarr can drive a truck, nearly earned his maritime license and once worked in a mental ward.
That works. So he builds his campaign on ridiculous promises,...
- 4/17/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviewed by Randee Dawn
(April 2011, screening at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival)
Directed by: Gaukur Úlfarsson
Featuring: Jón Gnarr
Some say politics are a joke. But it takes real cojones to actually elect a comedian.
Meet Jón Gnarr, a former punk musician-turned-comedian who resembles a younger Eddie Izzard (sans makeup) and until recently was best known in his native Iceland for his edgy, satirical humor. (This is a guy who will do a faux commercial for an album of Adolph Hitler’s love songs.) But following his country’s financial meltdown in 2008, he came up with his biggest joke yet: the Best Party, a political organization that would help him run for local office in Reykjavik. Qualifications? As he states in a webcam video, Gnarr can drive a truck, nearly earned his maritime license and once worked in a mental ward.
That works. So he builds his campaign on ridiculous promises,...
(April 2011, screening at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival)
Directed by: Gaukur Úlfarsson
Featuring: Jón Gnarr
Some say politics are a joke. But it takes real cojones to actually elect a comedian.
Meet Jón Gnarr, a former punk musician-turned-comedian who resembles a younger Eddie Izzard (sans makeup) and until recently was best known in his native Iceland for his edgy, satirical humor. (This is a guy who will do a faux commercial for an album of Adolph Hitler’s love songs.) But following his country’s financial meltdown in 2008, he came up with his biggest joke yet: the Best Party, a political organization that would help him run for local office in Reykjavik. Qualifications? As he states in a webcam video, Gnarr can drive a truck, nearly earned his maritime license and once worked in a mental ward.
That works. So he builds his campaign on ridiculous promises,...
- 4/17/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
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