Popular From Iceland

When the first Icelandic engineer returned to Iceland from his studies in Denmark a hundred years ago most Icelanders lived in great poverty in dark turf houses as thet had done for centuries. One could hardly speak of any roads, only some trails formed through the centuries by man and animals. There where no bridges over the rivers, only one lighthouse and no man-made harbour to speak of. This documentary shows the evoliution of technology in Iceland and the great changes that the society has undergone since the first engineer arrived with new ideas and knowledge that has turned Iceland into a highly modern society in a very short span of time.

In this documentary we get to know the Icelandic writer Einar Már Guðmundsson who won the Nordic price for literature in 1995. Einar Már Guðmundsson is one of the best known writers in Iceland and his works have been translated into english and the other Nordic languages. Besides his books of prose and poetry he has also written film manuscripts and in the documentary we see, among interviews with the writer himself and commentators on him and his work, clips from the films.

Dimmuborgir are situated in one of Iceland’s most active volcanic zones. The film gives a clear account of the formation of this magnificant citadel of lava. The geology of the area is described and the viewer is brought into contact with its incomparable scenic beauty and birdlife as well as with the great danger facing this jewel in Icelandic landscape.

A documentary about the 50 year career of Ambassador Pétur Thorsteinsson in the Icelandic Foreign Service.

A film about the life and work of the Icelandic poet Matthías Jochumson.

A news documentary about the "population growth" programme of former Rumanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and the horrific consequences that followed.

This film on breeding behavior of the Arctic Charr contains exceptional underwater footage taken in their natural habitat.

A controversial documentary on the struggle of three small nations, Greenland, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands, for survival in the harsh natural surroundings of the Hight north. The film focuses on forceful campaigns against these nations' economic interests, launched worldwide by international protest groups, such as Greenpeace. It is the traditional utilization of marine mammals, whales and seals, that is opposed bitterly by the protest groups, who usually claim that the hunting methods are inhumane or that the whale stocks face extinction-claims which are rejected outright by scientists.

Thorsteinn Jónsson is a living legend in both the aviation world and the "regular" world. When he flew his last flight in 1988, after 46 years in the air, he was the pilot with the highest amount of flight time in the world: most of it employed in adventurous and dangerous flights. This film follows Thorsteinn in his last flight, and walks down memory lane with him where his sparkling recital, and period footage, tells of his years as a pioneer aviator in Iceland, fighting pilot in the second world war, salvation flights into war-torn Biafra, and numerous other interesting and amusing tales.

In this documentary, we witness the manifold presence of woman as mother, lover, worker and symbol in the works of the artist, and follow the development of her role during the career of the artist.

This film shows three different methods for catching herrings which Icelanders have used in the past century. The use of the nets is illustrated with animated graphics and then matched with live action on board. Live footage is shot off the south and east coast of Iceland.

A film which shows the traditional rounding up of sheep.