Odd Fish | Dir: Snævar Sölvason | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Writer/director Snævar Sölvason takes us to a small remote Icelandic fishing village at the end of summer. Fishing boats returning to harbour with their catch are overshadowed by huge cruise ships delivering tourists to the town’s fish restaurant.
The restaurant is run by best friends since childhood Hjalti (Björn Jörundur Friðbjörnsson), who also runs the island’s museum, and Björn (Arna Magnea Danks), who is also spending time with their dying father.
Just as tourism interest in the Northern Lights promises that they can keep the restaurant open during winter instead of closing at the end of summer, Björn’s father dies and Björn decides it is time to reveal their true self to the small community so they can live their best life.
Deciding to drop the disguise they used to survive by coming out and to live as trans woman Birna (Arna Magnea Danks is a trans woman) means that the townspeople have to make adjustments, and Hjalti doesn’t know how to respond to seeing his lifelong friend in a new light.
Hjalti also doesn’t know how to respond to his teenage gay son who moved to Reykjavik almost three years ago with his mother to get away from bullying. With the possibility that Hjalti is going to lose his best friend and his marriage, he has some decisions to make.
As the bare mountains behind the village become covered in snow, can the caretaker of the island’s past embrace new perceptions to better understand the people who are closest to him?
It is a visual and emotional treat to become immersed in Iceland’s Odd Fish by Sölvason, who was inspired by growing up in a similar small fishing town and shares the writing credit with trans woman Veiga Grétarsdóttir.
As you can guess by the names, the Scandinavians will be arriving in town very soon in the form of the Scandinavian Film Festival. Screening at Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX from 24 July, it is certainly worth a look at scandinavianfilmfestival.com.
Lezly Herbert
