For centuries, the inhabitants of the Icelandic village of Vík í Mýrdal have had a mystical relationship with the volcano « Katla ». Today, Katla attracts tourists from all over the world and has become a source of income. HEIMALAND delves into the ambiguity of a community that, in its quest for wealth, becomes alienated from its own environment.
Heimaland
A documentary by Ischa Clissen and Dorus Masure
In the shadow of the Icelandic volcano ‘Katla’ lies the village Vík í Myrdal. The eyes of the villagers have been stubbornly fixated on her for centuries, trying to fathom the dormant danger. The volcano, covered under a massive glacier does not expose its secrets easily. In recent years, though, she has been showing signs of increased activity. Throughout history the presence of this fire-breathing mountain has been fulfilling an ever evolving role in the daily life of the nearby villagers, who have to live with her presence. This shift in meaning will be illustrated in the documentary by three protagonists, which all represent a different generation with a disparate view on the forces of nature that surround them. Their storylines come together in the present relationship between both volcano and village.
REALIZATION Ischa Clissen & Dorus Masure
DURATION 70 min.
Produced by DIPLODOKUS – in coproduction with RAYUELA PRODUCTIONS, COMPASSFILMS – VRT CANVAS – with the support of VAF Filmfonds, CENTRE DU CINÉMA ET DE L’AUDIOVISUEL de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, ICELANDIC FILM CENTER and of BELGIAN TAX SHELTER FILM FINANCING – this project participated in NOTRH PITCH – BELOW ZERO
