Screaming Masterpiece
Gargandi Snilld
dir. Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson
Iceland / Denmark / Netherlands, 2005 - 87
A flag-waving documentary on why Icelanders are not short on self-belief. The film explores how this tiny nation of 300,000 souls has managed to produce not only exportable pop from the likes of Björk and rock combo Sigur Ros, but also a thriving scene for jazz, folk and classical music. Iceland is a new country of only 60 years, though the nation’s history dates back to the 12th century. The interviewees cite the vibrant Icelandic language as inspiration, and also a strong sense of community, originality fostered by isolation from other cultures, the beauty of the island's landscape, and an august oral tradition stretching back a thousand or so years.
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