By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Isold Uggadottir
Starring: Babetida Sadjo | Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir | Patrik Nökkvi Pétursson
Original language title: Andið eðlilega
Country: belgium, iceland, sweden
Year: 2019
Running time: 95
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6776106/reference
Michael says: “In a moment of rare alignment, my favorite film at the Provincetown Film Festival also won the Audience Choice Award. I truly hope this film gets a domestic release, because it is really well done. This Icelandic film directed by Isold Uggadottir follows two powerful stories, and brings them together to create a subtle yet dramatic work that is beautiful, haunting, personal and oh so timely. Theatre actor Kristín Móra Haraldsdóttir plays Lára, a struggling single mother who is just trying to hold down a job and keep a roof over the young son’s head. While training to become a customs border guard, she encounters Adja, played by Babetida Sadjo, a refugee from Africa who she helps to detain at the border due to a fraudulent passport. From this critical moment, the film follows both women on their diverging paths, both struggling in heartbreaking ways for their children until their paths suddenly converge again.
“Uggadottir, along with cinematographer Ita Zbroniec-Zajt, create a beautiful yet dismal portrait of this small industrial Icelandic town, and the tight camerawork on the two exquisite leads paints a haunting portrait of their lives. Add to that the natural and touching performance by Patrik Nökkvi Pétursson, who plays Lára’s young son, and this film really soars. It asks some tough questions, and no one is perfect in this film, but your heart will break more than once and these women struggle to keep moving forward and make the best of life that they can. 5 cats”
Chris says: “Finally, a film from Iceland that’s not terminally quirky! I wouldn’t say every single thing in it works–the pacing feels off at times–but cumulatively, the whole, and particularly the denouement soars. Fine performances, and Ísold Uggadóttir is a filmmaker to watch. 4 cats“