Directed by Benedikt Erlingsson and cowrote with Olafur Egilsson, Woman at War presents the story of Halla, a 50-year-old choir teacher living in Reykjavik who is secretly working towards dismantling the big corporate aluminium and electric companies that reside in Iceland; one woman trying to save the planet. It is powerful and striking but also humorous and warm with a Wes Anderson tint. Released in 2018, I found the film to portray the climate crisis most accurately in comparison to the majority of 'climate change films' that feel a little insincere and cliché.
The location of Iceland, as anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit will know, is incredible. Rolling hills, protruding mountains, mirror-like lakes etc. It is the perfect place to set a film examining the issue of the climate crisis as it evokes feelings of anger and sadness when we see telephone poles intruding on the land and huge factories completely out of place amongst the natural beauty. It makes a clear statement of the way the natural world is being taken over by humans, showing the evident contrast between the man made and the organic. Another clever feature was the portrayal of Halla's way of living at home. She rides a bike, recycles, grows her own vegetables etc. And it looks simple and easy. While this is not how some people can live due to certain restrictions, I found it refreshing to see this way of life seeming completely ordinary. On top of this, Woman at War explores the narrative of a single woman wishing to adopt a child. It is displayed beautifully, shown with love and care. Everything in this film is natural without being obvious in the statements it is making - it is simply just a woman living her life in accordance to herself.
On the technical side, I found the film great. The music score is brilliant; humorous and playful, it goes hand in hand with building tension or setting the mood. The composition of each shot displays the drama of the landscape and emphasising how small we actually are in this world. This film is a hidden gem and if you have not already watched, I would highly recommend.
The location of Iceland, as anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit will know, is incredible. Rolling hills, protruding mountains, mirror-like lakes etc. It is the perfect place to set a film examining the issue of the climate crisis as it evokes feelings of anger and sadness when we see telephone poles intruding on the land and huge factories completely out of place amongst the natural beauty. It makes a clear statement of the way the natural world is being taken over by humans, showing the evident contrast between the man made and the organic. Another clever feature was the portrayal of Halla's way of living at home. She rides a bike, recycles, grows her own vegetables etc. And it looks simple and easy. While this is not how some people can live due to certain restrictions, I found it refreshing to see this way of life seeming completely ordinary. On top of this, Woman at War explores the narrative of a single woman wishing to adopt a child. It is displayed beautifully, shown with love and care. Everything in this film is natural without being obvious in the statements it is making - it is simply just a woman living her life in accordance to herself.
On the technical side, I found the film great. The music score is brilliant; humorous and playful, it goes hand in hand with building tension or setting the mood. The composition of each shot displays the drama of the landscape and emphasising how small we actually are in this world. This film is a hidden gem and if you have not already watched, I would highly recommend.