2020 Movie
Dir. Hlynur Palmason · Belgium, Denmark · English, Icelandic
An Icelandic slow-burner on grief and jealousy
A man is struggling to mourn his passing wife in this slow-burning Icelandic drama. The story starts with him converting an abandoned electricity station into a house, in an effort to find peace. Soon, however, questions about a possible extramarital affair that his wife disturb this peace and make it seem unattainable.
The way A White, White Day’s brilliant story unfolds might catch you off-guard a couple of times. Still, it’s slow and requires a little bit of patience. Make sure you’re in the mood for that to be rewarded with unmatched insight on how differently people process grief.
In a remote Icelandic town, an off duty police chief begins to suspect a local man to have had an affair with his wife, who has recently died in a car accident. Gradually his obsession for finding out the truth accumulates and inevitably begins to endanger himself and his loved ones. A story of grief, revenge and unconditional love.
"The mayhem unfolds in some remarkable unbroken takes, yet Pálmason and Sigurdsson never lose sight of the healing that's taking place behind the glowering looks and gun-toting aggression."
— Trevor Johnston
Cannes
1 win · 1 nom
European Film Awards
1 nom
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is US-based and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
"A stark, controlled psychological thriller that unpicks its hero's troubled soul with forensic coolness."
— Jonathan Romney