Ástin sem eftir er

Like falling in love, falling out of love scrambles one’s perception of time. It’s this peculiar temporality that is powerfully evoked in ÁSTIN SEM EFTIR ER. We do not witness the break-up of the central relationship, only its aftermath. The seasons pass—shooting the film himself on 35mm, Hlynur Pálmason takes full advantage of Iceland’s majestic, ever-changing landscapes—but for Anna and Magnús, life does not seem to progress in a linear flow. Magnús has moved out and yet we see the two of them on a day trip with their three children, the image of the perfect family. Is it a moment of respite, a tentative reconciliation, perhaps a memory? Yet slowly and inexorably, the former couple drifts further and further apart. As the separation takes an unequal toll, Pálmason gives space to each individual experience, including that of the kids (played by the director’s own children). Every so often, surreal moments puncture the narrative—a violent demise is visited upon an odious guest who torments Anna; a rooster returns from the dead as a giant beast to exact revenge upon Magnús—affording deeper insight into the characters’ emotional states while also injecting humour into this tale of heartbreak. (Giovanni Marchini Camia)

In the presence of Saga Garðarsdóttir.

Hlynur Pálmason: MÁLARINN (2013, K), VETRARBRÆÐUR (2017), HVÍTUR, HVÍTUR DAGUR (2019), VOLAÐA LAND (2022), HREIÐUR (2022, K), ÁSTIN SEM EFTIR ER (2025)