A disintegrating marriage takes center stage in this quirky, heartbreaking, and tenderly human tragicomedy. Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason (Godland) creates an atmosphere that echoes an eavesdropping documentary, capturing each member of the family—dissatisfied artist mom Anna, emotionally isolated dad Magnus, world-weary teen daughter, rambunctious pair of young brothers, and marvelously charismatic dog—as they navigate a year of change in and around their remote home. The Icelandic landscape is stunning, the ocean unrelenting, and emotions kept carefully in check as the parents grapple with unequal post-separation desires and the kids seek outlets for their energy and frustration. Monty Python─esque humor, artful interspersed sequences, wild fantasy visions, and a dreamy piano score wrap around the narrative, keeping everything a bit off balance—just the way it might feel for anyone grappling with love, loss, an occasional vicious rooster, and one’s place in the unique world of their own family. —Deanna Quinones
Hlynur Pálmason
Icelandic writer-director Hlynur Pálmason made his feature debut with Winter Brothers (2017), the winner of four awards at the Locarno Film Festival. He went on to make A White, White Day (2019), the winner of three Edda Awards, including Director of the Year; Godland (2022), for which Pálmason garnered a second Director of the Year Edda Award. His latest film, The Love That Remains,won the Palm Dog at the Cannes Film Festival.