Margate-based filmmaker Nikolai Galitzine’s debut feature is a love letter to a remote Arctic island, followed by a Q&A with the director.
The film is nominated for Best Nordic Documentary at this autumn’s Nordisk Panorama festival; it was also selected for the “Works in Progress” showcase at Cannes Docs (Cannes Film Festival) this spring, representing Iceland in the “5 Nordics” initiative. The documentary focuses on the island of Grímsey and the challenges its residents currently face.
The island’s population has dwindled to historic lows, with only 15-20 people living there year-round:a number that continues to decline. Although the island has been inhabited for 800 years, the film’s narrative centers on the burning down of Miðgarðakirkja (Miðgarður Church); the church becomes a symbol of the resilience and determination of the Grímsey community on this remote island located on the Arctic Circle.
Director Nikolai Galitzine originally traveled to Grímsey to work as a carpenter on the church’s reconstruction during a break between film projects. The locals welcomed him so warmly that he effectively gained a new family on the island. It took over four years to complete both the film and the church. The documentary was screened to packed houses in Akureyri and on Grímsey this past August and has been very well received.