Iceland Selects Under The Tree As Oscar Contender

The Icelandic Film and TV Academy has selected Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson’s (Paris Of The North) third feature Under The Tree (Undir trénu) as its entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.

Under The Tree follows Atli (Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson) who is accused of adultery by Agnes (Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir) and forced to move in with his parents. While he fights for custody of his four-year-old daughter Ása, he is gradually sucked into a dispute between his parents and their neighbours over an old and beautiful tree.

As Atli fights for the right to see his daughter, the dispute with the neighbours intensifies. Property is damaged, pets mysteriously go missing, security cameras are being installed and there is even a rumour that the neighbour has been seen with a chainsaw…

Under the Tree, written by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson and Huldar Breidfjörd, recently premiered in Orizzonti at the Venice Film Festival and screened in Contemporary World Cinema at the Toronto International Festival earlier this month.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will draw up its final shortlist of five films on 23rd January. The winner will be announced at the 90th Academy Awards on 4th March 2018 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.