This film is the story of Hrafn and his beloved wife Groa who live on a secluded farm in Iceland. Surrounded by peaceful sea and grand mountains, their modest farmhouse fits perfectly into its surroundings. The film follows Hrafn's routine as he finishes his chores, preparing to leave the farm, the last farm in the area. Through a phone call with his daughter Lilja and a conversation with a deliveryman, the audience learns that the couple is finishing their last chores before moving to "the lap of luxury." However the audience is subtly enlightened to something more going on. Hrafn, in both conversations previously mentioned, says Groa is napping and not available to visit. Also, Hrafn makes sure that his daughter is not visiting until the weekend is out. We soon find that all his preparations are for the burial of his wife. While the phone is ringing and Lilja waits on the other end of the line for her father to pick up, Hrafn places a bible on his wife who is laying in the coffin he built for her. He lowers her coffin into a grave he dug himself, lies next to her in the grave and finally releases a truck to dump dirt onto the pair, burying himself next to his beloved wife just as Lilja arrives in the driveway.
While the summary may seem detailed for a movie review, it is in the details that short films find their stride. Runar Runarsson's use of various techniques sets this film above many others. The first thing viewers notice is the use of camera angles and the differentiating of shots that add depth to the film. Shots of Hrafn standing peacefully in the center as the camera pans the scenery around him accentuate how alone and abandoned he is. Many close ups of his worn hands, especially focusing on his left hand, bring the audience's awareness to his many labors, labors of love for his beloved wife. Shots never focusing on his wife, always placing her in the dark, until her burial, indicate to the audience that she has passed. Since the film has very little dialog, the camera work does a lot of the talking.
The sound editing of this film is phenomenal, another detail that sets this film apart. For such a short film, the film score by Kjartan Sveinsson is on par with a score for a major motion picture. I do not think this film would be what it is without the score. First of all, the score helped to supplement the dialog and tell the story along with the camera shots. The foreboding and solemn music is absent during many parts of the film but creeps into the scenes involving Hrafn and his wife whether it is when he lays down to sleep next to her body, his work on her coffin and digging of their grave, or his final laying down next to her before the burial. The music is absent when outsiders break into his sacred world and threaten to make themselves privy to his secret. The exaggerated sounds that Hrafn makes through his routine underscore that this is the last time he will be doing this routine. The constant, labored sound of his breathing indicates to the audience that this could be the end for him too. In the scene where he is laying down to bed next to his wife, the magnified sound of his clock ticking subtly hints to the audience that this is the end for them both, that their time is running out. Besides being blown away by the technical aspects of this film, the story line is compelling and full despite the fact that this is a short film with very little dialog. It shows more skill on the part of the director and other crew workers to create such a gripping film with so little. With less than twenty minutes, the film captured my heart and I found myself aching along with Hrafn as he labored through his final acts of love for his wife. Though never seeing them alive together, there is no doubt to the audience what kind of love the two shared in both life and death. Their story is poignant and makes the audience question whether they have known them for twenty minutes or twenty years. The theme of abandonment in the film is heartbreaking to the audience. Hrafn is the last farmer in the area and we sense that Hrafn and his wife have also been, in a sense, abandoned by not only the other farms in the area and their friends but their daughter too. Hrafn is then abandoned by his wife as she passes away first. Finally, Hrafn abandons his farm and the life he once had to move on and join his wife in death. However strong the theme of abandonment may be, its sadness is overpowered by the heartwarming theme of love in this film. Throughout the film, every action Hrafn takes is through love. Taking care of his farm for the last time, ensuring his daughter would be spared the pain of seeing her parents both die, taking care to give his wife a proper burial, and joining with her in death are all actions he did out of love. This film, though under twenty minutes long and with little dialog, is as rich and full as a full- length feature film. The expert use of film techniques underscores the themes and enlightens the audience to the secret being keep by the main character without the use of so many words. The director knew how to not only let the sound direction and camera angles speak but also how to balance out the themes, heartbreaking and heartwarming, so that the audience feels whole at the films completion. The director gives audiences a chance to fall in love with the characters the way Hrafn and Groa fell in love with one another.
While the summary may seem detailed for a movie review, it is in the details that short films find their stride. Runar Runarsson's use of various techniques sets this film above many others. The first thing viewers notice is the use of camera angles and the differentiating of shots that add depth to the film. Shots of Hrafn standing peacefully in the center as the camera pans the scenery around him accentuate how alone and abandoned he is. Many close ups of his worn hands, especially focusing on his left hand, bring the audience's awareness to his many labors, labors of love for his beloved wife. Shots never focusing on his wife, always placing her in the dark, until her burial, indicate to the audience that she has passed. Since the film has very little dialog, the camera work does a lot of the talking.
The sound editing of this film is phenomenal, another detail that sets this film apart. For such a short film, the film score by Kjartan Sveinsson is on par with a score for a major motion picture. I do not think this film would be what it is without the score. First of all, the score helped to supplement the dialog and tell the story along with the camera shots. The foreboding and solemn music is absent during many parts of the film but creeps into the scenes involving Hrafn and his wife whether it is when he lays down to sleep next to her body, his work on her coffin and digging of their grave, or his final laying down next to her before the burial. The music is absent when outsiders break into his sacred world and threaten to make themselves privy to his secret. The exaggerated sounds that Hrafn makes through his routine underscore that this is the last time he will be doing this routine. The constant, labored sound of his breathing indicates to the audience that this could be the end for him too. In the scene where he is laying down to bed next to his wife, the magnified sound of his clock ticking subtly hints to the audience that this is the end for them both, that their time is running out. Besides being blown away by the technical aspects of this film, the story line is compelling and full despite the fact that this is a short film with very little dialog. It shows more skill on the part of the director and other crew workers to create such a gripping film with so little. With less than twenty minutes, the film captured my heart and I found myself aching along with Hrafn as he labored through his final acts of love for his wife. Though never seeing them alive together, there is no doubt to the audience what kind of love the two shared in both life and death. Their story is poignant and makes the audience question whether they have known them for twenty minutes or twenty years. The theme of abandonment in the film is heartbreaking to the audience. Hrafn is the last farmer in the area and we sense that Hrafn and his wife have also been, in a sense, abandoned by not only the other farms in the area and their friends but their daughter too. Hrafn is then abandoned by his wife as she passes away first. Finally, Hrafn abandons his farm and the life he once had to move on and join his wife in death. However strong the theme of abandonment may be, its sadness is overpowered by the heartwarming theme of love in this film. Throughout the film, every action Hrafn takes is through love. Taking care of his farm for the last time, ensuring his daughter would be spared the pain of seeing her parents both die, taking care to give his wife a proper burial, and joining with her in death are all actions he did out of love. This film, though under twenty minutes long and with little dialog, is as rich and full as a full- length feature film. The expert use of film techniques underscores the themes and enlightens the audience to the secret being keep by the main character without the use of so many words. The director knew how to not only let the sound direction and camera angles speak but also how to balance out the themes, heartbreaking and heartwarming, so that the audience feels whole at the films completion. The director gives audiences a chance to fall in love with the characters the way Hrafn and Groa fell in love with one another.