WINNER EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY AWARD 2017

A remote fishing village in Iceland. Teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer as one tries to win the heart of a girl while the other discovers new feelings toward his best friend. When summer ends and the harsh nature of Iceland takes back its rights, it's time to leave the playground and face adulthood.

Direction: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Script: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Production: Anton Máni Svansson, Lise Orheim Stender, Jesper Morthorst, Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, ,

Cinematography: Sturla Brandth Grøvlen

Editing: Anne Østerud, Janus Billeskov Jansen

Production Design: Hulda Helgadóttir

Costume Design: Helga Rós V. Hannam

Make-Up: Kristín Júlla Kristjánsdóttir

Sound: Peter Schultz

Original Score: Kristian Selin Eidnes Andersen

Cast: Baldur Einarsson, Blær Hinriksson, Diljá Valsdóttir, Katla Njálsdóttir

Original Title: HJARTASTEINN

Original Language: Icelandic

Film Production Countries: Iceland, Denmark

Website: http://www.heartstone-thefilm.com

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/heartstonethemovie

Statement of the Director/s
Heartstone is a personal story based on my experience growing up in a small fishing village. The core of the film is a strong, beautiful friendship between two boys, and how their environment and inner conflict drive them apart, before the bond they share manages to reunite them again.
A few years ago, at the time I was searching for a story to write, I had a dream about my childhood friend who took his own life as a teenager. In this dream he showed me around our old village, and as we arrived at his childhood home, he smiled and gave me a map of the village. After this we ran off and played with the other kids. When I woke up, I knew I wanted to write a story inspired from this time.
The village was an environment full of contrasts, where the sun shines without rest during the summer and barely rises at all in winter. A place where the same things you love and give you freedom also tie you down. A place where young kids come to know animals and discover how nature and people can be both amazingly beautiful and incredibly cruel.
I wanted to reflect on this period which I feel very strongly about. As a kid and a teenager, I used to wish that I could show the grown-ups around me how our world really was. And that's what I want to do as a filmmaker; because the years of our youth reflect our lives in a very clear, beautiful, and often harsh manner. I seek inspiration from nature, from the strong feelings that come to you in the mountains, by the sea and when walking over untouched ground, and the ways those feelings relate to our inner emotions.
I believe Heartstone is a story that carries an important message for everyone, especially youth. A story of brotherhood, self-acceptance, strong girls and the importance of family.

Biography of the Director/s
Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson (born 1982, Iceland) graduated from the Icelandic Art Academy in Fine art. After graduation he moved to Denmark and studied screenwriting. His short films and feature debut have been selected for more than 200 festivals and won over 100 international awards. Among these accolades are Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival and a nomination for the European Film Awards. Gudmundsson developed and wrote his feature film HEARTSTONE during a Cannes Cinéfondation Residency.

Filmography of the Director/s
2016 HEARTSTONE (129 min)
2014 ÁRTÚN (20 min)
2013 WHALE VALLEY (15 min)

Awards Won
46 awards won in total, among them:

73rd Venice Film Festival, Italy
-Queer Lion Award

32nd Warsaw Film Festival, Poland
-Best Director Award
-Ecumenical Award
-Special Mention for Best Actor
57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Greece
-Silver Alexander Award

58th Nordic Film Days Lübeck, Germany
-The main award – The NDR Film Prize

52nd Chicago International Film Festival, USA
-Gold Q Hugo Award

29th Angers International Film festival, France
-Youth Jury Award
-Audience Award
-Grand Prix
46th Molodist Film Festival, Kiev, Ukraine
-Audience Award
-FIPRESCI Critics Award
-Special Mention for Best Actor

8th CPH PIX Film Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
-Audience Award

16th Marrakech International Film Festival, Morocco
-Best Actor Award

40th Goteborg Film Festival, Sweden
-The Lorens Award for Best Producer

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