Original title: Vanskabte land
2023/24 Half-Season Membership: £35 / Guest Tickets – £12 (both available on the door)
Denmark/Iceland/France/Sweden • Drama • Year: 2022 – Running time: 143 mins
Languages: Danish/Icelandic
Audience Response: 13 slips returned
- ‘Excellent’: 5 votes
- ‘Very Good’: 6 votes
- ‘Good’: 1 vote
- ‘Satisfactory’: 1 vote
- ‘Poor’: 0 votes
Read the comments here or visit our “Godland” discussion page.
Synopsis
In the late 19th century, a young Danish priest travels to a remote part of Iceland to build a church and photograph its people. But the deeper he goes into the unforgiving landscape, the more he strays from his purpose, his mission and morality.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more immersive Winter Wonderland experience than Godland.
Whelan Barzey (Time Out)
Writer/Director: Hlynur Pálmason
A White, White Day (2019) / Winter Brothers (2017)
Main Cast:
| Elliott Crosset Hove | Lucas |
| Ingvar Sigurdsson | Ragnar |
| Vic Carmen Sonne | Anna |
| Jacob Lohmann | Carl |
| Hilmar Guðjónsson | Translator |
(for full cast list, additional technical information and reviews, please visit the Godland pages in IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes)
CFC Film Notes:
Director Pálmason followed his sophomore feature, and first international success, *A White, White Day’ with this epic about a Priest sent to build a church and preach to a remote Icelandic community. The more he travels through the inhospitable terrain, the more his health, sanity, and ultimately faith begin to wane.
Surrounded by indifferent, or simply hostile companions, the young Father is tested, particularly by the man charged with building his church, Ragnar, played by one of Iceland’s foremost actors, Ingvar Sigurdsson. Once again, a simple plot hides a rather complex film that can be read in many different ways. Is it about colonialism?
Father Lucas is an outsider and his presence becomes resented by nearly all he encounters. He ignores the advice of the locals, with dire consequences. (It is worth noting that the photographs so meticulously taken by Lucas are mainly of his fellow Danes; he outright refuses to take Ragnar’s picture). Or is it about the permanence of nature and the fact that the natural world is infinite compared to the life of man?
The viewer will witness several unfortunate incidents that take place throughout the film, showing the devastating power of nature. Whilst the scenery is stunning, this is not a fast-paced film, requiring patience from the viewer as each scene needs to be savoured to fully appreciate what the story is attempting to say. But stick with the film as it richly rewards the viewer.