At the end of the 19th century, a young Danish priest makes an arduous journey to a remote part of Iceland to build a church and photograph the local people. In addition to establishing the historical rivalry between the two peoples, the priest is confronted with his own faith.
Posted on March 24th
There is much beauty in Godland. But as in any film where the man pits himself against elements greater than himself, from Fitzcarraldo to Atanarjuat, and goes through all these works – like The Mission – where faith must be subjected to severe tests, is the beauty of this third feature film by Hlynur Pálmason (Winter Brothers, Such a White Day) must be earned.
In a contemplative way, the story tells of a mission entrusted to Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove), a young Danish Lutheran priest who is sent to a remote corner of Iceland in the late 19th century to build a church and take photographs from locals. The journey, which the filmmaker conjures up in a square frame with rounded corners (as if the grandiose landscapes were in the eye of an old camera), will prove to be a nightmare.
In addition to the pitfalls of shipping and, after reaching the volcanic island, wintry weather over hundreds of kilometers to the destination – a real crossroads – the man of faith has to come to terms with his status as a foreigner. Indeed, as Lucas does not speak the Icelandic language, he must suffer from the historical animosity of a conquered population towards their conquerors, the Danes at the time directing the fortunes of a country whose inhabitants are fiercely independent of spirit.
Conceived of as inspiration from actual photographs taken at the time, Godland is interested in the daily lives of these people living in harsh environments, but the filmmaker’s main focus is on the spiritual struggle between the priest and his leader. This confrontation will also lead to a deep questioning for a young man, in which doubts will gradually arise, up to and including personal bankruptcy.
Godland was presented at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, where he was screened as part of the ‘Uncertainty’ section, and can be seen in his original version with French subtitles.
indoors
theatre
land of the gods
Hlynur Palmason
With Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Vic Carmen Sonne
2:23 a.m