KVIFF 2022: 'Godland' is a particularly breathtaking look at failing faith

God is everywhere. God is in the earth, God is in the rain, God is in the snow, God is in the air. But is God in men? I'm not so sure, considering how despicable men can be… Godland is a Danish/Icelandic film that originally premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. who saw it then said it deserved to be in the main competition at Cannes, not in the Un Certain Regard section. Now that I caught up with the film at the 2022 Karlovy Vary Film Festival, I couldn't agree more. Not only is the movie really spectacular enough to play in competition, it probably would have won an award because it deserves all the praise and more; acclaimed by critics and hopefully by other festivals, it will appear later this year. It's going to be in my Top 10 this year, and it'll probably be in the Criterion Collection soon enough. I'm glad I waited to watch this on the big screen, it's a MUST for this movie. Cinematography of the year in this disarming masterpiece.

Godland is written and directed by talented Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason (Winter Brothers, A White, White Day), although it is also a Danish co-production. The film follows a young Danish priest, Lucas, played by Elliott Crosset Hove, in the late 19th century as he boards a ship and travels to the distant lands of Iceland with a mission to build a church. . He decides to travel the whole island on foot (and on horseback) first to understand, see and experience the unique environment for himself before reaching his destination. A mistake he will later regret. Along the way, he not only discovers how treacherous and brutal nature can be, but he begins to lose faith, lose his sense of self and purpose. Meanwhile, the other men around him, a mix of other Danish and Icelandic immigrants, seem to be making progress with little or no effort, and with no loss of determination or respect for the surroundings. It's a breathtaking, slow-burning, poetic journey through absolutely beautiful hell for this Danish missionary-colonialist-photographer.

It certainly can and will be debated, but ultimately I believe that Godland is a very nice "religious people are the real assholes" story. I can't say for sure that it's anti-religious, but that's how it is. I want to write that Godland looks a lot like Martin Scorsese's Silence via Iceland, but it's actually the opposite. God is in the land, not in those who claim to be "men of God", an important lesson for all to learn… While Lucas is the protagonist, the main character that we follow throughout this film, this is not is not a hero nor a good man. He is a failure, both in faith and in determination, and this torments him as much as it annoys those around him. It brings him down, which is his journey as we as viewers travel Iceland with him. But that's the real lesson of the film. The title Godland (written in the film as Volaða Land in Icelandic and Vanskabte Land in Danish) appears to be a reference to the fact that the land itself Himself is God, and we must submit to Him, not the other way around. The earth is God's creation, and we must respect it and let it shape us.

Part of the big challenge of Lucas' trip is that he's also a photographer, bringing with him his massive old camera with huge tripod legs and a full development station. The film is inspired by the discovery of a box of seven photographs in 1800s Iceland. he should. The film goes one step further by immersing us in the story using in an old-school 1.33:1 aspect ratio, with the curved corners of the frame visible. Maria von Hausswolff's cinematography is absolutely ravishing, impressive and unquestionably perfect. She deserves an Oscar nomination for her work in the film. Watching this on the big screen is an experience in itself, as it will immerse you deep in the story, as if you were watching it all unfold through the lens of Lucas' camera. Not only does it feel like stepping back in time, but it's a transporting and exhilarating experience. Iceland has never been so beautiful (even more so than The Northman).

There are also a number of wonders to discover in Godland, mostly other characters that Lucas encounters along the way. My favorite is Ragnar, played by Ingvar Sigurðsson, a badass,...