Godland

In the 19th century, Iceland was one of the last colonies that the once mighty empire of Denmark still possessed. It is here that the Lutheran Church sends priest Lucas with a mission: to observe the building of a church in a far-off parish. For the curious priest with a passion for photography, this will turn into a journey of (self)discovery, as the sometimes cheeky sometimes snarky locals not only resent being subjects of a foreign power (which includes a marked disinterest in mastering the Danish tongue), but are also still close to their old gods, all of which puts Lucas to many a test.

Ostensibly inspired by a series of photos taken by a Danish priest on Iceland in the 19th century (thus the film's peculiar square aspect ratio), Godland is many things at the same time: a serene meditation on belief and its different systems, an almost John Ford-esque essay on the strange workings of civilisation, a quiet comedy of customs and manners.

Gorgeous to look at with a becoming touch of austerity, a bit distanced in its bearing yet finally warm and welcoming, Hlynur Pálmason's third feature (after the 2017 Vinterbrødre and the 2019 Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur) offers nothing less than the adventure of discovering a whole world.

– Olaf Möller