The Sea (2003)

Synopsis: The Sea is a family drama set in a remote fishing village in Iceland. The whole existence of the village is based upon the local fisheries, but new economic realities are slowly eroding that foundation. The aging owners of small fishing... The Sea is a family drama set in a remote fishing village in Iceland. The whole existence of the village is based upon the local fisheries, but new economic realities are slowly eroding that foundation. The aging owners of small fishing boats are selling their fishing quotas to larger companies in other parts of the country and therefore the local processing plants have less work to offer and the community suffers.

Thordur, the ruthless patriarch of the main fishing company in the village, refuses to give in. His stand is that the benefits of greater efficiency can only come at the unacceptable cost of closing his plant and thus closing down the village. But while he's delivering sermons along those lines he also makes an aside about how the only people willing to work at his plant are foreign migrant labourers, so it is not really clear what he wants to save. But save it he does. However he also realizes that he is aging and his preferences might become moot in a heartbeat or lack thereof. The therefore decides to summon his children home, hoping to put his house in order.

He has three children. Haraldur the oldest has been minding the shop in the fishing plant, but he is weak willed and not really up to the job. To make matters worse he is in constant financial difficulties which are not helped by his alcoholic wife. His sister Ragnheidur moved away years ago, studying filmmaking abroad for a decade before settling in the capital of Reykjavik where she is married to a harmless Norwegian expat, constantly lashing at him with her sharp tongue. Agust is the youngest and his father's favourite. Thordur plans for him to run the company as soon as Agust finishes his business studies in Paris, but unbeknownst to him Agust has long since given up on that and has instead been practicing his songwriting abilities. Agust doesn't intend to heed his father's summons, but his mildly pregnant French fiancée Françoise more or less drags him to the airport if only in order for herself to better understand her boyfriend and perhaps save the relationship which is on it's last legs. The three children are not the only family members. After their mother passed away years ago Thordur married his sister-in-law Kristín, taking in her newly born daughter María of somewhat obscure paternity as well. To make matters even more complicated his octogenarian mother lives with them too, mainly snarling Sibylline curses to any and all.

His children however have other ideas about the future than their father. They want their father to sell out and are not above taking extreme measures to have their way. Their reasons are selfish in many ways, but as the argument with their father reaches climax it becomes painfully obvious that perhaps it is not the future that worries them, but rather the tragic and dark family secrets of the past. With skeletons rattling in every closet the grand family dinner takes an unexpected course and Thordur is forced to wage battle against his own family. The outcome of this battle is by no means sure, except that the victory will by Pyrrhic for all involved. -- © Blueeyes Productions [More]

Starring: Gunnar Eyjolfsson, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Helene de Fougerolles, Kristbjorg Kjeld

Starring: Gunnar Eyjolfsson, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Helene de Fougerolles, Kristbjorg Kjeld, Sven Nordin, Gudrun S. Gisladottir, Sigurdur Skulason, Elva Osk Olafsdottir, Nina Dogg Filippusdottir, Herdis Porvaldsdottir

Director: Baltasar Kormákur

Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenwriter: Baltasar Kormákur, Olafur Haukur Simonarson
Producer: Baltasar Kormákur, Jean-Francois Fonlupt
Studio: Palm Pictures

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