19/08/2008

The Icelandic born filmmaker Sólveig Anspach, who studied at Paris’ Femis film school, is touring Europe with her new off-beat comedy Back Soon [+see also:
trailer
film profile], winner of a Variety Piazza Grande Award in Locarno last Saturday.

On Icelandic screens since August 8 through Sena, the comedy was number six in its opening weekend. Last Saturday, Anspach attended her film’s international premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival where it was shown as the closing film and received positive reviews from the press.

Back Soon is Anspach’s third feature film following Haut les coeurs (1999) and Stormy Weather [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2003). The film which was described by the Locarno Film Festival as a “hilarious Scandinavian comedy, full of poetic touches…and marijuana!” mirrors the director’s French/Icelandic cultural mix, with professionals from both nations behind and in front of the camera such as top Icelandic cinematographer Bergsteinn Björgúljsson (Jar City [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), actors Ingvar E. Sigurðsson, Didda Jónsdóttir, Julien Cottereau, and co-writer Jean-Luc Gaget.

The Icelandic producer Skúli Malmquist said he was approached by Paris-based Anspach and was immediately drawn to her personality and vision for the film. The €1.5m film was produced by Iceland’s Zik Zak Filmworks with the director’s usual French production partner Patrick Sobelman (Ex-Nihilo), in co-production with Bac Films who handles French and international distribution. Back Soon was also backed by the Icelandic Film Centre, the Centre National de la Cinématographie, and Eurimages. The film will open tomorrow on French screens.