15/10/2003

Icelandic director Dagur Kari's first feature, Noi, the Albino, won six Edda awards at this year's ceremony last weekend (Icelandic Film & TV Awards). The film has received around 20 international film awards, and is Iceland's hope for the European Film Awards as well as the country's candidate for the Foreign Language Oscars.

Nói Albínói received prizes for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Dagur Kári himself), Best Actor (Tómas Lemarquis), Best Supporting Actor (Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson), and Best Art Direction (Jón Steinar Ragnarsson). At the same time, it was announced to be Iceland's entry for the Oscars. This Icelandic-Danish-German-Uk co-production is among the 43 films considered for nominations at the European Film Awards, and received two nominations for the EFA's People's Choice Awards (Dagur Kári as Best Director and Lemarquis as Best Actor). Sólveig Anspach's Stormy Weather (premiered at this year's Un Certain Regard in Cannes) won an Edda for Best Actress (Sigurlaug "Didda" Jónsdóttir). Edda Heidrún Bachman was named Best Supporting Actress for The New Year's Pantomime 2002. Two Eddas went to Ólafur Sveinsson's Last Stop (Best Documentary and Best Musical Score - Sigurrós). Best Short went to Gunnar B Gudmundsson's Caramels, and Gaukur Ólafsson won Best Music Video for Mess It Up (by Quarashi).

Veteran Ómar Ragnarsson (RUV Channel 1) was awarded Best TV Reporter of the year - his second Edda in only 3 years. Best TV Production went to Jón Ársaell Thordarsson's Independent People (at Channel 2), and Gisli Marteinn Baldursson (RUV Channel 1) was elected TV Personality of the Year.

This year's Honorary Award went to Knutur Hallsson, who was one of the founders of the Icelandic Film Fund in 1978, which marks the start of professional filmmaking in the country. Around 800 members of the Icelandic Film & TV Academy elect Edda Awards.