Solitude
In this distinctive debut film from Icelandic filmmaker Ninna Pálmadóttir, an old and lonely farmer is forced to sell his home and relocate to suburban Reykjavik, only to form an unlikely friendship with a precocious young paperboy.
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Gunnar (Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson), living alone on a sparse Icelandic farm, is taciturn by nature, but he’s no curmudgeon. After spending decades living among horses, Gunnar is told by a visitor in a suit that his farm will be taken by eminent domain for a dam project. Stone-faced Gunnar stoically accepts the huge compensatory sum, sells his horses, and moves to the outskirts of Reykjavik. Once there, Gunnar struggles to navigate a bewildering, alien world, gathering discarded cans for the deposits despite being a new millionaire. Each day, he passes a charming 10-year-old paperboy named Ari (Hermann Samúelsson), who greets him with free papers. As Gunnar reluctantly warms to Ari, the child’s separated, bickering parents see Gunnar as a convenient babysitter, so the two spend many pleasant, nearly silent afternoons playing chess and eating frozen pizza. Gunnar, however, doesn’t understand modernity. When he wordlessly leaves a gym bag full of cash as a charitable donation, he inspires suspicion from city officials. Eventually, his incomprehension creates a misunderstanding that threatens to upend his life. This debut feature from Ninna Palmadottir is directed at a quiet, deliberate pace, mirroring the budding Gunnar-Ari friendship, exploring how solitude can be felt more intensely when surrounded by others.
—Randy Woods
- Original Language Title: Einvera
- Director: Ninna Pálmadóttir
- Principal Cast: Throstur Leo Gunnarsson, Hermann Samuelsson, Anna Gunndis Gudmundsdottir, Hjortur Johann Jonsson
- Country: Iceland, Slovakia, France
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 75 min.
- Producer: Lilja Osk Snorradóttir, Hlín Jóhannesdóttir, Elli Cassata, Jakub Viktorin, Sarah Chazelle, Runar Runarsson
- Screenplay: Rúnar Rúnarsson
- Cinematographers: Dusan Husár
- Editors: Ivor Šonje
- Music: Petur Ben
- Website: Official Film Website
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Icelandic
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: The Party Film Sales