Of Horses and Men

In an inhospitable valley in Iceland, horses are just as important to the community as people. With their striking, understanding eyes, they observe the existence of the people who ride them – who, just like them, seem to live by their animal instincts. Together with the animals, the villagers brave the icy conditions – thanks in part to the local heart-warming alcohol – in the gorgeous landscape. The thickset, powerful Icelandic horses have as much character and balls as their masters.
This can lead to completely absurd scenes in this comic drama, in which sometimes horse and sometimes man comes off worst. Nonetheless, what connects man and beast is at the heart of this unusual feature debut by Benedikt Erlingsson. Both suffer the slings and arrows of love and death alike.
Erlingsson’s original story is beautifully filmed and has a rhythm all of its own, akin to the typical ‘tölt’ gait of the Icelandic horse. Iceland’s submission for the 2014 Academy Awards.

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