GODLAND
Iceland, 2022, 143 minutes, Colour.
Elliot Cross Hove, ingvar Sigurdsson, Vic Carmen Sonne, Jacob Lohmann, Hilmar Gudjonsson, Ida Mekkin Hlynsdottir.
Directed by Hlynur Palmason.
Even the title, Godland, has a strange sound about it. Commentators have noted that this is not an accurate translation from the Danish or the Icelandic. Rather it should be something like God-forsaken land, wretched land… And, in many ways, indeed it is.
There is very little joy to be seen in Scandinavian films. Almost no joy here. This is a sombre and bleak story, a 19th-century setting, and the highlighting of the colonial attitudes of Denmark towards Iceland and its inhabitants, differences in language, and willingness to learn languages, the difference between strong local Viking traditions and the more sophisticated culture of 19th-century Scandinavia.
And, as the title would indicate, this is a film about religion. The central character, the young priest, Lucas, is Lutheran, is seen conversing with the older priest (chomping away enjoying his lunch) sending Lucas on mission to Iceland, to build a church in a village before the winter. Lucas sits upright listening to the priest, his body language very serious, his face somewhat stern, sometimes expressionless even though so much is going on in his interior life. Lucas says the right words, is pious and earnest but, as is revealed, not particularly devout, not exactly having what we might call a spirituality.
Photography is important in this film, 19th-century experiments, the young priest with a large camera, plates, metals, stopping every now and then to get people to pose, hold the pose, capture the photographs. (The film does start with information that a box of photos was found in Iceland and that this film was based on this – except that this is a fiction, expressed by the writer-director, to have the priest photographer and photographed characters and locations.)
This is a film of great visual beauty, extraordinary photography of extraordinary landscapes, the sea, the remote beaches, cliffs, mountain peaks, valleys, plateaus and plains, streams and rivers, beautiful but harsh, challenging to any human trekking through these landscapes. Lucas has decided to go by land to the village, the many days, difficult journey, by horse and walking, Lucas unused to these landscapes, sometimes collapsing, feeling alienated from his Icelandic guide’s, especially the rugged Ragnar, fiercely Icelandic and patriotic. The tension between the two carries through the film, but some wonderful moments when Ragnar actually wants to talk to Lucas about life, about God and the experience of God, Lucas tending to dismiss him, using the excuse of not understanding his language. And, finally, there is a fine, religious sequence where Ragnar wants his photo taken, makes a confession of his life which suddenly leads to a violent confrontation between the two, fatal.
It is more than something of a surprise to find, when the group, along with us the audience who have shared the rigours of the journey, find a well-stocked town on the coast where the church is to be built.
The latter part of the film shows Lucas adapting (and not adapting) to life in the town, refusing to marry a couple outside the church building which is not complete, indicating his inability to adapt and understand. And, as might be expected, there is a God-forsaken, sombre ending.
1. A Scandinavian story, sombre and bleak? Characters in isolation? Landscapes? 19th century, colonial clashes between Iceland and Denmark? Different languages?
2. The title, the suggestion rather of God-forsaken Land? The title in Danish? In Icelandic?
3. The beauty of the photography, in Denmark and the church, the ship on the sea, the travel overland, the plains, plateaus, valleys, mountains and peaks, rivers, rugged, forbidding, beautiful? The musical score?
4. The premise about the box of photos, a fiction for the film, 19th-century photography, the priest and the large camera, the glass and plates, preparations for the photos, the poses, being still? The range of photos taken throughout the film? Some of the sequences produced and edited like photos?
5. The theme of 19th-century missionaries, Lutheran tradition, Iceland as a colony? The old priest, enjoying his meal, commissioning Lucas, the discussions, his warning to understand the inhabitants? His posing for the photo portrait?
6. The introduction to Lucas, stern, serious, earnest? Young? Inexperienced? Listening attentively, receiving the mission? The camera? On the ship, photographing the crew, the role of the translator? On the boat, rowing to the shore, landing in the water, the beach, carrying the camera, the carrying of the luggage, his collapse? Meeting Ragnar? The work of the translator?
7. Lucas, his character, pious but not necessarily devout, earnest and committed? Danish superiority to Iceland? Not learning the language? Wilful, wanting to travel overland – and the later revelation that he could have sailed close to the settlement?
8. The visuals of the journey, the time taken, the horses, camping intense, bathing in the rivers, talk, Ragnar and his songs, the story of the wife and the men abusing her, the need for translation? Climbing the mountains, the dangers, Lucas falling? The translator, singing, his fall, later the body seen with water lapping? Lucas’s final collapse, his being carried to the village?
9. Audience sympathies? Lucas and his personality, not attractive or engaging? Religious righteousness? Sense of mission? Ragnar, Icelandic, rugged, experience, his talk, how likable? The translator more genial? The other members of the trek, the young man, the woman, photographs?
10. The town, the Danish population, Icelandic population? Near the sea, the comforts of the house, the wood for the church? The building of the Church? Lucas, with Carl and his family, the daughters, the meal? Accommodation in the separate hut, Carl protecting his daughters? Lucas, wearing his religious garb, the scene of him and washing, naked, his humanity? The friendship with Ida, the conversations, the horse, friendly? The encounters with Anna, discussions, the horses, the attraction, people asking whether they would marry, the brief sexual scene and the focus on Anna, cutting away? Carl, his attitudes towards Lucas, hostile?
11. Life in the town, summer and autumn, no nights, ordinary home sequences, neighbours, farm work, labouring, the horses? The wedding and Lucas refusing to marry the couple outside the church building?
12. The completion of the church? Lucas and Anna? The horse riding (and Ragnar training Lucas to ride during the trek)? The future?
13. Ragnar, tough, dislike of the Danish, limits of language, the translators, Ida being half Danish and half Icelandic and her translations? Ragnar, working on the building? The conversation with Lucas about God, and being good? Lucas and his disdain? Ragnar wanting a photo of himself, the conversation with Lucas, with his camera, the powerful sequence of his confession, the killing of the horse, Lucas’s rage, the attack on Ragnar, the rock, Ragnar’s death? The background of the dog during the trek, lively and playful, then outside the church barking?
14. Everybody going to church, Lucas in his garb, the barking outside, Lucas and his praying, the devout words, his leaving the church, the dog, getting the horse, riding away after falling in the mud? The congregation in the church, the effect of the baby crying all the time? Carl, coming out, getting the horse, pursuing Lucas, his motivation for killing him? Lucas dead, the snow, the dead horse, the later discovery?
15. The clash between Christianity and pagan traditions? Embodied by Carl? Yet Ragnar and his asking questions? The two daughters?
16. The variety of style in the photography and its effect on the audience, the traditional box style, sweeping camera motions, inserted clips, especially the dead horses, photos? Portraits, close-ups and extreme close-ups? Involving the audience for 2 ½ hours?
