Villi Knudsen's Iceland(1992)

Landscapes at the World's Ends(en)

A non-verbal visual journey to the polar regions of our planet portrayed through a triptych montage of photography and video. Landscapes at the World's Ends is a multi-dimensional canvas of imagery recorded above the Arctic Circle and below the Antarctic Convergence, viewed through the lens of whom is realistically an alien in this environment, the polar tourist. Filmed during several artist residencies on-board three expedition vessels, New Zealand nature photographer and filmmaker Richard Sidey documents light and time in an effort to share his experiences and the beauty that exists over the frozen seas. Set to an ambient score by Norwegian Arctic based musician, Boreal Taiga, this experimental documentary transports us to the islands of South Georgia, the Antarctic Peninsula, Greenland and Svalbard. Landscapes at the World's Ends is the first film in Sidey's Speechless trilogy, and is followed by Speechless: The Polar Realm (2015) and Elementa (2020).

Timanfaya(fr)

Lanzarote, a volcanic island of the Canary Islands was shaped in the eighteenth century by a series of eruptions. It preserves its memory through semi-desert mineral landscapes. In 2015, I traveled this territory in search of the cataclysm. In this devastated landscape, traces of a return to life were emerging.

Fire on Heimaey(is)

Beautiful documentary by Osvaldur Knudsen about the eruption on Heimaey in the Vestmann Islands in 1973 (South of Iceland). The eruption destroyed some 30% of the town's houses and lasted for more than 5 months. Nice narration like in the old days and some nice sound(track) by Magnus Bl. Johannsson.

Larger than Life(is)

The story of an Icelandic power lifter, Jón Páll Sigmarsson who was four times the World's Strongest Man.

The Power of Volcanoes(en)

In the 6th century AD, large parts of the world were affected by mysterious weather events causing temperature drop, crop failures and famines. All this might be the result of a large volcanic eruption in the tropics. But can a local natural disaster impact the global weather, thus influencing the course of history? Using stunning re-enactments and unique animation techniques, “The Power of Volcanoes” makes it clear: Volcanoes might be sleeping giants. But they can wake up quicker than you think and in the worst case trigger a fatal chain of events.

Lon Marum(en)

A TV-hour length documentary film depicting the relationship between language, culture, place, music, tradition, and magic on an active volcano, in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu, on the island of Ambrym.

Charcot: Secret Poles(fr)

The adventures and exploits of Jean-Baptiste Charcot (1867-1936), an intrepid scientist and explorer who laid the foundations of modern oceanography.

Iceland You Think You're Alone(en)

Iceland is one of the wildest places on earth. You could be caught up in the midst of snowstorms and blizzards, but you are never alone... Although tourists from all over the world have started a silent invasion, nature keeps on winning.

Inside Björk(en)

Following the career of Björk, this documentary looks at her early musical career with local icelandic bands, her acclaimed stint in The Sugarcubes, and her massive success as a free-spirited solo artist.

Rumenatomija: The Story of Brandas Addiction(is)

Branda has hit rock bottom. Her addiction has spiralled so far out of control that medical intervention is the only option left. She's forced to confront her darkest demons in order to lick her deadly appetite, and must apply all 12 steps to her four stomachs - Branda is a cow addicted to eating plastic bags. It's easy to find humour and irony in Branda's toxic lifestyle, harder to admit that we're the ones being ridiculed.

El Niño del Volcán(es)

Joel, an 11-year-old boy, will guide us through the forest of the Popocatépetl volcano and with his childlike wisdom leaves us lessons on a natural life.

Voyages au centre de la Terre : Dans les pas de Jules Verne(fr)

The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari(en)

A close examination of the Whakaari / White Island volcanic eruption of 2019 in which 22 lives were lost, the film viscerally recounts a day when ordinary people were called upon to do extraordinary things, placing this tragic event within the larger context of nature, resilience, and the power of our shared humanity.

Great Taal Disaster(xx)

Moving picture of the 1911 Taal Volcano eruption.

The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela(th)

Raquela is a transsexual, or lady boy, from the Philippines, who dreams of escaping the streets of Cebu City for a fairy tale life in Paris. In order to make her dreams come true, she turns from prostitution toward the more lucrative business of Internet porn. Her success as a porn star brings new friends, including Valerie, a lady boy in Iceland, and Michael, the owner of the website Raquela works for. Valerie helps Raquela get as far as Iceland. From there, Michael offers her a rendezvous in Paris. Will Paris be everything she dreamed of? And will Michael turn out to be her Prince Charming?

My Dad and the Volcano(en)

Gavin built a giant volcano sculpture that's now in his dad's shed. Gavin seeks his dad's understanding but he's uninterested in modern art and refuses to participate in the documentary.

Heild(en)

Iceland's first non-narrative full-feature film's focus is set on presenting Iceland in a way it has never been presented before, using various elements of high-end cinematography. There are places everyone knows, but there are also thousands of well hidden places. To find these locations one has to be adventurous or a local, and to capture them right, one has to be creative and extremely patient.

Hidden Eden(en)

Exploring the concept of the Ecology of Emotions, this musical film portrays an inner journey through the secret garden of creativity put into frame by the nature of Iceland. Hidden Eden is a metaphor for our inner secret garden of creativity. This project bloomed during an art residency in Iceland, sparked by conversations around our shared philosophies on voice and emotional connection. The nature of Iceland inspired us to make the connection on how the landscape reflects the emotional states of creativity and how it helps manage the homeostasis of our inner emotional landscapes. This exchange between emotion and the landscape opens a space for healing. Creativity provides us with the tools to access a garden of our authentic being, nourishing and balancing us. Allowing ourselves to explore the spectrum of our emotions through the lens of our relationship with the Earth invites others to do the same. The creative process can affect our well being and is a key to human evolution.

The Other Pompeii: Life & Death in Herculaneum(en)

The subject of this documentary is a straightforward one: presenter Andrew Wallace-Hadrill introduces us to the treasures of Herculaneum, the city close to Pompeii that suffered a similar fate as a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, but which was covered under a far thicker layer of lava and other materials.

Explorer: Lake of Fire(en)

In 2001, satellite imagery captured a mysterious “thermal anomaly” on an unexplored volcano at the ends of the Earth. What lies inside could provide new clues to help predict volcanic eruptions around the globe. But the island is so remote with conditions that are so extreme. No one has ever been able to reach the top to investigate what lies inside.. until now.