There must be something about Icelandic films or Iceland as a country that appeals to me (I remember being utterly captivated and amused by the brilliant films “Rams” and “Under A Tree” over the past three years or so).
The woman in question is 49 year-old Halla (played by the absolutely perfect Halldora Geirharosdottir – whose performance I found completely captivating). She lives a quiet, routine existence (she leads a local choir amongst other things) but has a double-life as a committed (and lone) secret environmental activist, waging war on the local aluminium industry to protect the beautiful rural landscape that is under threat. She takes down drones, explodes pylons and fires crossbows… and (just about) manages to avoid detection. Geirharosdottir (with a name like that, you’re never going to be a household name – except perhaps in Iceland!) clearly needed to be very fit and athletic for the part – lots of footage of her running across Iceland’s undulating, rough highland landscape wilderness (pretty impressive).
But there’s another story that runs alongside.
Some four years earlier, she’d put her name down offering to become a foster mother… but nothing had come of it. Then, out of the blue, she receives a letter offering her a chance to foster a 4 year-old Ukrainian girl.
What will now come first? Eco crusade or the daughter she has yet to meet?
It’s very much a film of our time (given the stark, urgent warnings about Climate Change, Extinction Rebellion etc) and it’s a powerful reminder that we cannot continue as we are if the planet is to survive. At times, it feels like a thriller… but it’s also playful, charming, touching and very funny.
The soundtrack is simply brilliant.
I loved it. Throughout the film, on-screen musicians feature in the background. There’s a wonderful trio of men (almost circus-like) playing drums, accordion and tuba… and also a stunning trio of Ukrainian women singers, in full traditional costume. Sounds ridiculous, but it’s really rather beautiful… funny and, at times, very moving.
I thought it was a quite brilliant film. I loved its originality, its quirkiness, its passion and its humour. On the landing noticeboard at the Watershed, audiences are invited to post brief comments/reactions to films. All the notes posted about “Woman At War” were gushingly positive.
One person wrote: “The best film of the year by miles. Excellent, powerful, stirring call to arms. I am going to be this woman when I grow up”.
My thoughts exactly (well, almost)!
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