Iceland’s Submission to Academy Awards ‘Agnes Joy’ Official Trailer

“You must remember to nourish yourself.” Vintage Pictures has released an official trailer for the Icelandic film Agnes Joy, which originally premiered last year and also opened in Iceland last year. After playing at a few other film festivals this year, Iceland has submitted Silja Hauksdóttir’s Agnes Joy as their selection for the Best International Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards. The contemporary relationship drama focuses on an Icelandic family, and a disintegrating marriage, starring Katla M. Þorgeirsdóttir. She is worried her daughter, Agnes, will grow up and leave her behind, until a new man moves in next door. Also starring Donna Cruz as the titular Agnes, with Þorsteinn Bachmann, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Kristinn Óli Haraldsson, & Anna Kristín Arngrímsdóttir. It’s always hard to get a sense of Icelandic films from their trailers, but I am certainly curious about this and the complex family dynamics it explores.

Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Silja Hauksdóttir’s Agnes Joy, direct from YouTube:

Rannveig (Katla M. Þorgeirsdóttir) is experiencing burnout in all aspects of her suburban everyday life. Stuck with a job she hates and in a stagnant, slow dying marriage to Einar (Þorsteinn Bachmann), she also constantly fights her rebellious daughter Agnes’ (Donna Cruz) will, not bearing to face the possibility of her growing up and soon leaving her behind. When a new neighbour, Hreinn, arrives at the family’s doorstep, Rannveig has to admit her powerlessness when she and her family are forced to confront new challenges in their relationship. Agnes Joy is directed by Icelandic filmmaker Silja Hauksdóttir, director of the films Áramótaskaup 2008, Áramótaskaup 2014, and Dís previously. The screenplay is written by Silja Hauksdóttir, Gagga Jónsdóttir, Jóhanna Fridrika Sæmundsdóttir, and Mikael Torfason. This originally premiered at the Busan Film Festival last year, and also opened in Iceland late last year. Vintage Pics will release Hauksdóttir’s Agnes Joy sometime in 2021 – stay tuned for the exact release date. Look any good?