Volcano

The protagonist of this subtle feature debut from Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson is 67-year-old Hannes, who has just retired. The reserved, taciturn man isn’t used to expressing his feelings. He has almost no friends. His children, long adults, have become estranged. And his relationship with his wife cooled off ages ago. A tragic event forces Hannes to reevaluate his life thus far and to discover the emotions that have been dormant within him for years. The sensitively written script, masterful direction by a talented young filmmaker, and an absolutely convincing performance by lead Theódór Júlíusson, make Volcano one of the sharpest film discoveries of the year. About his approach, the creator commented: “People at crossroads in their lives interest me. The questions they are confronted with, in balance with the choices they have.” (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)