GIFFONI50PLUS - 21.31 JULY 2021

Films

BIRTA

Category: Edition 2021

Birta overhears her mother’s phone conversation. She is saying to a friend that, due to her financial problems, she won’t be able to afford the family Christmas. Strong and responsible Birta decides to find a way to raise money but it’s not so easy when you’re only 11 years old.

Original Title Birta
Category Official Competition
Section Elements +10
Tipology Feature Film
Duration 85'
Production Year 2021
Nationality Iceland
Directed by Bragi Thor Hinriksson
Screenplay Helga Arnardóttir
Director of photography Ívar Kristján Ívarsson
Editor Stefanía Thors
Music Kristján Sturla Bjarnason
Main cast Kristín Erla Pétursdóttir
Salka Sól Eyfeld
Bjarni Snæbjörnsson
Margrét Ákadóttir
Harald G. Haraldsson
Margrét Júlía Reynisdóttir
Produced by Helga Arnardóttir, Bragi Thor Hinriksson
Production H.M.S. Productions (Iceland)

profile BragiThorHinrikssonBragi Thor Hinriksson

Bragi Thor Hinriksson is an accomplished award-winning Icelandic Film Director & Producer. He has enjoyed enormous box office success domestically in Iceland with box office numbers rivalling the likes of Harry Potter, Toy Story 3 and Avatar. When he was 14 years he worked as a puppeteer on the longest running program for children. Today he is one of the most successful directors for projects aimed at family and children and has several projects in development. His feature film THE HIDDEN WORLD, a story based on the ancient world of icelandic Folklore is scheduled to start production in the spring of 2023. Through his career Hinriksson has been awarded the Icelandic Academy Awards (Edda), five times with nine total nominations. He is a member of the Icelandic Society of film directors (SKI). His latest feature THE FALCONS (VÍTI Í VETMANNAEYJUM has been distributed around the globe both theatrically and on Amazon, Itunes and other platforms, has received several awards and recognitions and has been selected in Giffoni 2018.

Director’s statement
“When I read the screenplay, it touched a deep root inside of me and I could immediately see the potential to tell a good story from the point of view of Birta and how she experiences the situation. A financial status has the potential to raise feelings of shame among children, especially in the world we are living in today, that often seems like a kind of contest for beauty, singing, art and overall “Happiness”. We were a tight group of artists and filmmakers working together in tight quarters during a pandemic. [...] I love the idea to have a Christmas theme in a film without having it labelled as a Christmas movie. Christmas is this time of the year when families come together, no matter their disagreements, and everything is forgiven. And we designed the film in a way that you can enjoy it year-round, but especially in the holidays season.”

Produzione
H.M.S. Productions (Islanda)
www.hms.productions 

Festival contact
Icelandic Film Centre (Islanda)
www.icelandicfilmcentre.is