eakfast brunch lunch dinner reykjavík´s best kept secret gata food & drink drinks snacks kitchen hours sun-thu: 11:00-23:30 fri-sat: 10:00-00:00 laugavegur 3 www.gata.is tel: +354 5270077 <strong>The</strong> Reykjavík <strong>Grapevine</strong> Issue 13 — 2011 30 Films | Interview WILL ‘A9AINST’ ENTIRELY TRANSFORM ICELANDIC SO- CIETY AND MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER FOREVER? Probably not, but the documentary still reflects it in a new and necessary light Philosopher, filmmaker, writer and frequent-<strong>Grapevine</strong> contributor Haukur Már Helgason premiered his documentary ‘Ge9n’ (‘A9ainst’ is its English title) at the Skjaldborg film festival this spring. On the surface, the film purports to be an examination of the case and trial of ‘the Reykjavík 9,’ a group of nine seemingly unconnected dissidents that were charged with attacking Iceland’s parliament during the socalled ‘pots and pans revolution’ of 2008-2009. <strong>The</strong> case of the Reykjavík 9 was an interesting and thought-provoking one (we’ve certainly printed enough articles on the matter) and one could rightfully assume that a documentary dedicated to investigating it would be all sorts of interesting. But upon viewing it, we discovered that it goes above and beyond being a straight up re-telling of the course of events and the following case and trial. It is an altogether different kettle of fish; it is an ambitious narrative that seeks to portray and criticise a side to Iceland and Icelandic society that—if it indeed exists—is quite alarming if not outright scary. After viewing ‘A9ainst’ at Skjaldborg, <strong>Grapevine</strong> writer Ásgeir H. Ingólfsson wrote that “if enough people see it, it just might change the ways of the society it seeks to criticise.” That is a pretty hefty claim from Ásgeir, but while his review might be overstated it nonetheless becomes clear to any open-minded viewer of ‘A9ainst’ that rarely has Icelandic society been criticised in such a vicious and lucid manner on-screen. If nothing else, it does present a new way to look at our small community, leaving aside whether it rings true or not (that is for the viewer to decide for herself). ‘A9ainst’ will be premiered to the general public at Bíó Paradís on September 9. We wrote down some questions while viewing a screening copy the other day and sent them to Haukur Már—read on to learn more about what it all means. Words Haukur S. Magnússon Photo Julia Staples We'll give a pair of tickets to the premiere of 'A9AINST' to the first five folks that drop us a line at letters@grapevine.is with the subject "I AM A9AINST" IS HE REALLY COMPARING HIM- SELF TO GALILEO GALILEI? You are a philosopher, writer and filmmaker (and artist, even?), and while you don't seem affiliated with a particular political party you can certainly be said to work within the realm of politics to the extent that it colours most of your creative output. How do the political and artistic realms collide within your creative persona? <strong>The</strong>re is still something to be learned from modernism. I'm not sure what comes first for me: philosophy, cinema or writing. Privately I refer to this founding moment of modernity, when Galileo Galilei turned a telescope towards the moon and the stars, and drew pictures of what he witnessed, which he then used to support the new Copernican world model. Turning everything on its head. This may seem to be a little farfetched, but there’s some focus there for my diverse activities. Galileo did several things at once. First of all, he used optics, the same optics cameras use today, to enhance or alter his vision. Only by looking at things a little differently did he actually see. Second, the essence of what he did: to look up, at the world, to see it for himself, rather than look down at the word of scripture. Third, he made himself into an automat, a camera, by copying as precisely as he could what he witnessed, the changing light on the moon’s surface etc. Fourth: no human can be a machine—his output, probably to his own frustration, had artistic value. Fifth: he supported his images with words, with theory, without which they would have remained mere doodles. Six: he published. He intended his discoveries to have an effect, not merely as private experiences, in the public domain. Seven: his published writing was rhetorically elaborate—but only to the extent of upholding evident verifiable truths, daring others to also look up and bear witness to the world. This, truthfulness, it’s very hard but it leaves space for fantastic humour. When faced with those authorities who would rather keep the Earth at the centre of the universe, Galileo mockingly gave in, because in the end his utterances would not alter the stellar orbits an inch. So Galileo was a proto-filmmaker. Today we have three types of equipment to go on using our eyes as Galileo did: we have the telescope to look up at the heavens, the microscope to look down at miniatures, and then 50mm lenses to look around us, at people and their worlds. That’s how filmmaking lies somewhere between the arts and research. If your chosen subject matter is not the moon, but people then politics and power cannot be avoided. If you’re honest, they will enter the frame. WTF IS ‘ICELANDIC CINEMA’? Is there such a thing as 'Icelandic Cinema' and if so, what are its symptoms? What is its trajectory? Where is it headed? Short answer: Yes, there is. Filmmaker and writer Þorgeir Þorgeirsson used to complain that Icelandic cinema had no humanist roots, as the cinemas of other European countries—if Icelandic cinema had any hope, he said, it would lie in the talent within the ad agencies. “After viewing ‘A9ainst’ at Skjaldborg, <strong>Grapevine</strong> writer Ásgeir H. Ingólfsson wrote that “if enough people see it, it just might change the ways of the society it seeks to criticise.”” This was not meant as optimism. A lot has changed since he struggled for funding. Perhaps the most important change lies in a wealth of documentaries—Róbert Douglas, Grímur Hákonarson—even Þráinn Bertelsson's early light-hearted comedies today seem like first-class documents on life in a particular society at a particular time. Humanist. Same goes for Ísold Uggadóttir's sense of comedy, and Ragnar Bragason for that matter. But it’s hard to find any one particular tendency within Icelandic cinema—except the dangers that we face, which are pretty much the same as those Þorgeirsson spoke of. Funding for his project of documenting the Icelandic fisheries industry was cut short when he did not focus on the most technologically advanced ships or the friendliest crewmembers. No state or business has an interest in cinema as a truth-machine. <strong>The</strong> struggle between interests and truth is global, of course. Iceland, however, this village of ours, sometimes seems extra-neurotic about its image.
Fosshótel Welcomes you all year Book now and get up to 40% discount! www.fosshotel.is WE ARE READY FOR your visit NEXT STOP: YOUR BUS PASS THE EASY & CHEAP WAY TO GET AROUND REYKJAVIK Places of sale Ticket offices of Strætó, hotels and hostels in <strong>Reykjavik</strong>. FOSSHOTEL / SIGTÚN 38 / 105 REYKJAVÍK ICELAND / TEL.: +354 562 4000 / FAX: +354 562 4001 E-MAIL: sales@fosshotel.is Prices One day pass: 700 kr. Three day pass: 1.700 kr. (<strong>The</strong> public fare for a single trip is 350 kr.) Gildir: Gildir til: Your comfort is our business Reykjavík: Fosshótel Baron Fosshótel Lind West iceland: Fosshótel Reykholt n o R th i celand: Fosshótel Dalvík Fosshótel Laugar Fosshótel Húsavík e ast i celand: Fosshótel Vatnajökull Fosshótel Skaftafell s outh i celand: Fosshótel Mosfell Book now at www.fosshotel.is <strong>The</strong> pass comes with a booklet that includes a route map and tips on some cool things to do with your bus pass. Further information on www.bus.is
Change language