OF HORSES AND MEN

Set in a wild and beautiful valley, Benedickt Erlingsonn’s hugely enjoyable and critically acclaimed Icelandic film portrays the intertwined lives and loves of the local smallholders and horse breeders in a darkly playful, affectionate and unflinching series of vignettes. The original Icelandic title is Hross í oss, i.e. Horse in Us, and here, certainly, the horses act as a catalyst, providing the language that allows the largely taciturn villagers – who view each other’s comings and goings across the valley through binoculars – to communicate with each other. The film richly deserves its cult status.

Director/Scriptwriter – Benedikt Erlingsson

Born in 1969, Benedikt Erlingsson is one of Iceland’s most successful theatre directors of the last decade, having received numerous awards as a director, playwright and actor. He has also received wide acclaim for his work for television, such as the comedy series Blood Brothers (1999), for which he received Edda awards for Best Actor and Best Screenwriting.
His debut feature Of Horses and Men is one of the most successful Icelandic films in recent years. The comedy has been sold to more than 30 countries (including the US) and has picked up nearly 20 international awards, including Best New Director in San Sebastian, Best Director in Tokyo and Best Nordic Film in Gothenburg. At home, the film was Iceland’s submission for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category, and picked up six Edda Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.

 

READ GUARDIAN REVIEW BY PETER BRADSHAW