On Sunday 3 October, the Icelandic Film and Television Academy announced the recipients of this year’s prestigious Edda Awards. The Eddas, established in 1999, honour the biggest national film and TV successes of the season, and are the most prominent awards in the local audiovisual industry. The 2021 edition saw the triumph of Ragnar Bragason’s dramedy The Garden [+lee también:
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An Icelandic-Polish co-production, The Garden centres on Indiana (Sigrún Edda Björnsdóttir), who lives on a council estate and makes a living by taking advantage of the welfare system. In her small, private garden, she tends to her award-winning tree. When her only son turns up with a foreign girlfriend, Indiana’s world is upended. The feature scooped a huge haul of trophies, including those for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Supporting Actress, among others.

The second main victor, the TV series The Minister, co-produced by Sagafilm and pubcaster RÚV with Sweden’s Yellow Bird/C More-TV4, won the Award for Best Fiction Series. The eight-part show follows populist prime minister Benedikt Ríkarðsson (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) as his mental illness grows and his colleagues try to keep it a secret from the nation. For his performance as the Icelandic statesman, Ólafsson was crowned Best Actor in a Leading Role, whilst Davíð Kristjánsson won the Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Here is the list of the 2021 Edda Award winners:

Best Feature Film
The Garden [+lee también:
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Best Actor in a Leading Role
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson – The Minister (Iceland/Sweden/Denmark/Finland/Norway)

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Sigrún Edda Björnsdóttir – The Garden

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson – The Minister

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir – The Garden

Best Screenplay
Ragnar Bragason – The Garden

Best Children’s and Youth Production
Stundin okkar

Best Documentary
A Song Called Hate – Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir

Best Fiction Series
The Minister

Best Short Film
Yes-People – Gísli Darri Halldórsson

Best Visual Effects
Filmgate, Guðjón Jónsson, Árni Gestur Sigfússon – Thin Ice (Sweden/Iceland/France)

Best Costumes
Helga Rós V Hannam – The Garden

Best Make-up
Áslaug Dröfn Sigurðardóttir – The Garden

Best Sound
Huldar Freyr Arnarson – The Valhalla Murders

Best Editing
Valdís Óskarsdóttir, Sigurður Eyþórsson and Guðlaugur Andri Eyþórsson – The Valhalla Murders

Best Cinematography
Árni Filippusson – The Garden

Best Production Design
Heimir Sverrisson – The Garden

Best Original Score
Högni Egilsson – The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole [+lee también:
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Honorary Award
Reynir Odsson