Debut Feature Heartstone Wins At Nordic Film Days

On Saturday, the debut feature Heartstone (Hjartasteinn) by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson was awarded the prestigious NDR Film Prize at the 58th Nordic Film Days festival in Lübeck, just a day after winning the Politiken Audience Award at CPH PIX on Friday.

Heartstone is set in a remote fishing village in Iceland where teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer as one tries to win the heart of a girl while the other discovers new feelings toward his best friend. When summer ends, it’s time to leave the playground and face adulthood.

The jury said in their deliberation: “With idiosyncrasy, a steady hand and great intensity, the filmmaker hi-jacks us to a place at the end of the world, where teenagers are in the process of finding themselves. Left to their own devices, they learn what’s really important – friendship and integrity. Heartstone is an unsentimental yet moving film debut.”

Other notable winners on the night were The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Maki (Hymyilevä Mies) with the Baltic Film Prize, Rosemari was awarded the Interfilm Church Film Prize, The Crossing (Flukten) picked up the Documentary Film Prize, and the Audience Prize went to The Day Will Come (Der kommer en dag) with more than 4,000 votes cast.