What is it like to go to the cinema at -20 ° C? I tell you about my experience at the most northern film festival. Also the review of the film most valued by the audience.
After many hours of stopover I was able to reach an island surrounded by snowy mountains and icy rivers. Tromsø is north of Norway, which is why you can also see the northern lights. The first morning I went out to go to the movies, the roads were frozen and I had to walk on snow for 30 minutes. Everything was white, everything is covered by at least 1 meter of snow.
The greatest difficulty is not transit, the most difficult is to access. Each ticket at 110 NOK (11 euros) and a bracelet of 150 NOK (15.5 euros) for the whole festival complicated things. As a volunteer I was able to access 5 daily screenings, after collaborating with 20-30 hours in different tasks. I knew a lot about Scandinavian culture, its people and their way of life. But above all :
The woman of the mountain / The woman of the mountain (Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson, 2017, 101 ′)
From the English title we can highlight two disassociated words: "woman" and "war". Without reading any reviews, we can imagine many ways to connect them, but Erlingsson found the best one. With a plot that will catch you until the end, this film received the Audience Award at the Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF) in Norway.
Halla is a driver in a choir and a secret warrior with an environmental purpose. Heavy industry in Iceland affects nature and demands large amounts of energy. This woman, only armed with her bow and arrow, has decided to fight these organizations by pulling down electric towers. The press begins to call her "The Woman of the Mountain", but for the national government she is a terrorist and thus begins a persecution that captivates the viewer.
Despite her ability with weapons, Halla has a talent for inspiring and convincing people to help her. During the narrative development, the secondary characters fluidly complement the needs of drama or comedy. Examples such as the deep relationship with his sister, the assistance of a farmer or the hidden messages with a government employee give surprising plots in the plot.
The film uses many tricks to manipulate the feelings of the audience, such as wide planes and aerial shots, which increase the loneliness of the protagonist. Even in action scenes, an unreal trio begins to play powerfully. This sound stresses the atmosphere and announces the surprising moments.
It is worth watching this comic and heterodox drama. This is a good movie to watch good movies without your partner falling asleep.