WOMAN AT WAR

Iceland, 2018, 101 minutes, Colour.
Hellodora Geirhardsdottir, Johann Sigurdsson.
Directed by Benedikt Erlingsson.

The title is apt. But the question is: what war is the woman involved with? At war with whom, or what?

While this is a film about protest and sabotage, it is in fact quite a genial film. The woman concerned, Hall, is able to get us onside even if we disapprove of some of her tactics in action. She is at war to save the earth. She is against industrialisation in Iceland, against multinationals like Rio Tinto (explicitly mentioned), against the government and its contracts with China and its calling in the CIA.

Films from Iceland over the years have been very distinctive, life in the small community, an exotic Scandinavian terrain (often used for landscapes for apocalyptic action shows), different mentalities.

Actually, we first encounter Halla on one of her missions, always alone, out in the countryside, armed with bow and metal arrow, firing the arrow onto powerlines and bringing them down – and later doing the same thing with a surveillance drone. It is not the first time and the authorities are after her, helicopter searching for her. However, she relies on an old farmer, claiming that he is a cousin (and his comment about breeding in Iceland and everybody being related). He helps her, actually espouses her cause and becomes involved himself.

On the other hand, Halla, despite her ideals and her tactics, is a middle-aged woman, living alone, applying for adopting a little girl. She also conducts the local choir.

Speaking of choirs and music, there are many songs – but one of the great novelties of this film is that the audience sees the band playing the film score. They suddenly appear out in the countryside after her aggression. Then they appear, singly or as a group in all kinds of scenes, a pianist in her home. There is a drummer and a man playing the sousaphone. And, with the information that she can adopt a little girl from Ukraine, three women singers, all in traditional Ukrainian dress, also appear. This is quite a device – and we look forward to the band continually reappearing, the singers as well. (And, ultimately, they become involved in the action itself!)

Icelandic authorities are not happy with the sabotage and the threat to Iceland’s industry – with some talking heads being interviewed as to whether they are pro or con the sabotage, discussions about Iceland’s economy and the necessity for this kind of international collaboration.

Then we find that Haller has a twin sister, who leads a rather exotic life, studying the mysticism of India, a yoga teacher. She is also the backup support in the application for the adoption.

There is one last act of sabotage, Halla achieving what she intended but having to escape, bring down the drone, hide herself from its surveillance by putting the carcass of a dead sheep over her (and the helicopter pilots lamenting the number of sheep on the loose in Iceland!).

At the end, it all becomes rather serious as Halla makes her way to the airport for Ukraine, but the airport requiring DNA tests (because investigators discovered a drop of blood when she injured herself on mission).

At this stage, the audience might be asking itself how can this all be resolved optimistically. A hint – her sister is willing to give up her two years in an ashram in India and support her sister.

Lots of issues. Lots of personal story. And already, Jodie Foster has the rights to the American remake, planning to start as well as direct. Let’s hope she makes a film is interesting and as enjoyable as the original.

1. An engaging protest drama? The title?

2. Iceland, the city, homes, yoga classes, the choir, officialdom, the streets? The countryside, the power lines, mountains and caves, the farm? The musical score? The irony of the audience seeing the score being played, the band, the piano, the drums, the Sousaphone? The three Ukrainian women in traditional dress? Their being glimpsed, then part of the action, the finale and everyone involved moving through the flood?

3. The title, the portrait of Halla, her war, her cause, saving the earth, against power, the multinationals, Iceland industry?

4. Her age, her experience, the loss of the child? Her twin sister, going to visit her, the bonds between the two sisters? Her leading the choir? And the application for adoption?

5. Her work as a saboteur, the various missions, a loner, in the countryside, the arrow and bringing down the lines? The arrow bringing down the drone? The police searching for her, helicopter surveillance? Going to the man on the farm, the discussion about cousins and people being inbred? His help, her cause, lending her the car? Her ordinary life and the adoption plans? The contact in the choir, discussions with him? His official position? Further missions, the manure and the TNT, getting dressed up, explaining to the authorities she was going to a party? In the night, the surveillance, the explosion, her covering herself with the sheep? Going to the farm, a cousin and his help?

6. The twin sister, yoga, her planning to go to India for two years, the backup for the adoption?

7. The media, the headlines, the television programs? Government reaction? The international contacts, the Chinese offer, Rio Tinto, the CIA?

8. Halla and her private life, concealing her plans? Yet her room, the causes?

9. The arguments against her sabotage, the arguments for Iceland and progress?

10. The information about the Ukraine, the photo of the little girl, discussion with her sister? Going to the airport, the sample of blood found, the DNA connection, the tests at the airport?

11. The taxi, returning, being sick?

12. The foreigner, his presence, his being mistaken for the saboteur, in prison, released, the coincidence of his presence when Halla was arrested?

13. Prison, the interrogations, her sister visiting her, the change of clothes? The sister going to prison – and two years of meditation?

14. Halla, going to the Ukraine, meeting the little girl, her drawings, friendship? In the bus, the breakdown, and everybody wading through the flood, musicians included? The future?