Volcano

A towering central performance from actor Theódór Júlíusson lends profundity and emotional resonance to this icy and interior character study by talented Icelandic writer-director Rúnar Rúnarsson. He plays cantankerous, recently retired school janitor Hannes, a man whose hulking frame, aggressive behaviour and conservative views have left him isolated from friends and family. Only his doting wife remains, but his entire world capsizes when tragedy strikes and he must embrace a life of righteousness and compassion. So bleak are the machinations of the story and the way it’s shot (in cloudy greys and rusty browns by cinematographer Sophia Olsson), that it’s a tough film to endure. But this total commitment to its enveloping, dour tone makes the tiny moments of respite and redemption all the more valuable.