01/10/2008

At the fifth edition of the Reykjavik International Film Festival, unspooling in the Icelandic capital since September 26, fourteen first and second time filmmakers are running for the Discovery Award (Golden Puffin) to be handed out on Sunday by the president of the jury, actor/director Baltasar Kormákur.

Among the films competing are Ursula Meier’s Home [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kacey Mottet Klein
interview: Thierry Spicher
interview: Ursula Meier
film profile], Albert Serra’s Birdsong and Eva Sørhaug’s Cold Lunch [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. Nineteen of the best recent films from around the world are on display in the Open Sea programme, such as the recent San Sebastian winner Pandora’s Box [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Turkey), O’Horten [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Norway), Karlovy Vary’s top winner Terribly Happy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Denmark) Revanche [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Götz Spielmann
film profile] (Austria) and A Country Teacher [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bohdan Slama
film profile] (Czech Republic).

Other highlights include a tribute to Costa Gavras, a special focus on Argentinean cinema, discussions about the environment, Nordic women in film, and music in film. Considering the influence and world fame of Icelandic artists from Björk to Sigur Rós, almost the whole Thursday will be dedicated to music documentaries, sales and marketing of soundtracks, legal issues related to music in film, and Friday will host a music mini market.

The third RIFF Transatlantic Talent Campus (October 02-05) will offer upcoming filmmakers an opportunity to meet established names in the industry such as Danish actress/filmmaker Paprika Steen, Finnish documentary filmmaker Arto Halonen, French writer Philippe Claudel, and Icelandic filmmaker Dagur Kári.