DIRECTOR: Hlynur Pálmason
PRODUCERS: Eva Jakobsen, Mikkel Jersin, Katrin Pors, Anton Máni Svansson
PRODUCTION CO: Snowglobe Films, Garagefilm International
SCREENPLAY: Hlynur Pálmason
PHOTOGRAPHY: Maria von Hausswolff
EDITOR: Julius Krebs Damsbo
MUSIC: Alex Zhang Hungtai
WITH: Elliott Crosset Hove (Lucas), Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson (Ragnar), Jacob Lohmann (Carl), Vic Carmen Sonne (Anna), Ída Mekkin Hlynsdóttir (Ida)

FESTIVALS: Cannes

REVIEW

“A young priest travels from Denmark to Iceland in the late 19th century, where his mission is mocked by nature and by the corruptibility of his faith in Hlynur Pálmason’s striking elemental epic…

In Godland, man’s ambitions, even in relation to matters as seemingly pure as faith and spirituality, are revealed to be fragile, small, and helpless against the omnipotent forces of an unforgiving natural world. Those themes suggest a film of brooding portentousness, and this transfixing drama is certainly austere. But there’s also a marvellously odd vein of sneaky humour running through it, along with an unpredictability that keeps you glued…

This is a highly original work that goes beyond its theological aspects to explore more universal questions of mankind and our evanescent place in the world. Even its images of death hit differently, notably in some stunning time-lapse sequences that show flesh and bone being absorbed into the landscape…

Pálmason’s control over this challenging material never falters throughout the film’s epic length, deftly dropping in moments of surprising lightness to alleviate the dark… This knockout drama represents a considerable leap in maturity and ambition that merits commensurate attention.”

– David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

FILM SOCIETY SCREENINGS

New Plymouth  
Wednesday, 11 February, 6.00pm

Timaru  
Tuesday, 03 March, 6.30pm

Dunedin  
Wednesday, 08 April, 6.00pm

​Palmerston North 
Wednesday, 20 April, 6.00pm

Westport 
Wednesday, 10 June, 7.00pm

Canterbury 
Monday, 22 June, 7.00pm

​Whanganui   
Monday, 03 August, 7.00pm​​

Carterton  
Friday, 28 August, 7.30pm

Auckland  
Monday, 14 September, 6.00pm ​

​Hamilton  
Monday, 05 October, 6.30pm

Wellington   
Monday, 16 November, 6.00pm​

​​Wellington   
Tuesday, 17 November, 8.30pm​
WORLD CINEMA >>