When The Light Breaks
Intimate Icelandic drama about a group of friends paralyzed by grief when Diddi dies in a tunnel fire. The story is told from the perspective of student Una, who was secretly in a relationship with Diddi.
An affecting portrait of grief in its rawest form, Rúnar Rúnarsson’s fourth feature demonstrates the Icelandic filmmaker’s ability to convey the stormiest and subtlest emotions of characters in crisis. His latest film begins on a note of great happiness, as two students in their early twenties – Una and Diddi – enjoy a spring sunset in Reykjavik and talk of their future together, a future that’s even brighter now that Diddi is about to break up with his girlfriend back home.
With the next day comes a tragedy. Reeling from grief, Una navigates a series of charged interactions with others dealing with their own welter of emotions, all while struggling to decide whether to share a truth that could leave someone else shattered.
Elín Hall establishes herself as one of European cinema’s most compelling young actors with an astonishing and deeply felt performance. She’s matched at every turn by a cast who are equally fearless and a filmmaker able to emphasize the value of love and connection and show how they may be found even in grief’s darkest moments. (source: www.tiff.net)