On Friday, myself and Charis went to Heima in the Irish Film Institute equipped with a naggan of whiskey.
Heima documents the return of Icelandic post-rock quartet Sigur Ros to their heima (yes, that's right, their home) to play a series of free, unannounced gigs around the country mainly in tiny village halls and windswept fields near fjords.
I had a rather strong hunch that I would find the combination of whiskey, exquisitely shot Icelandic landscapes, and Sigur Ros’ epic, other worldly music preposterously pleasurable altogether, and bejaysus, i was bang on. Heima is a beautiful and humble celebration of Iceland’s people and landscape - an anti rockumentary if you will - an anti-Spinal Tap. Because the concerts were free, they attracted all sorts from kids to grannies and the cameras focus on the people at the concerts as much or more than the band. Smart move. No rock star megalomania on show here. The band also sneak in some protest against rapacious environment-wrecking industrialists but without labouring the point.
I emerged from the cinema in a sort of blissed quietude and went in foolish search of a suitably quiet Dublin pub. So in short, I loved this, a magic film from a magic band. And the Icelandic tourist board must be very pleased too. Sadly it was only on in the IFI for a couple of days but the DVD is out now.
Other rhapsodic reviews here
The Times (UK)
The Guardian
Total Film
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