Children

Children is the first part finished of an extremely successful Icelandic two-parter (the other part is Parents, also at the Festival), which can be viewed separately without any problem at all. The way in which Ragnar Bragason polishes up the characters and the story with his actors is inspired by the approach of Mike Leigh among others. The result is a raw, gripping and occasionally violent drama of lower class Iceland, shot in atmospheric and effective black & white.
In an episodic structure, the film is about the single mother Karitas who has difficulty making ends meet. She battles with her ex-husband about the guardianship of her three daughters, but meanwhile loses sight of her other child, her 12-year-old son Gudmund, who gets terribly bullied at school. Gudmund has a friend, Marinó, a schizophrenic man in his forties who still lives with his mother. When Marinó finds out that his mother is having a secret relationship, his world falls apart and he loses grip on reality. In the meantime Gardar, Gudmund’s violent father, tries to do something good for a once in his life: he seeks contact with his son - with dramatic consequences.
Since its premiere at the San Sebastian festival, Children has already won several prizes. It is also the Icelandic submission for the Oscars. (GT)