All of you Iceland-enthusiasts should check out the film Heild or “Whole” that has just been released. It is Iceland’s first full-feature, non-narrative film, which shows Icelandic nature and landscapes in a new light. The film features an original score from Professor Kliq and additional music from Ólafur Arnalds, Friðjón Jónsson, Trabant, and Mono.  The director is Pétur K. Gudmundsson, and we here at Stuck in Iceland thought it would be a nice idea to hear more from him in a short interview.

How did you get the idea for the film?

I made a 10min non-narrative short film in 2010 with similar themes and intentions, and found out that it was not enough. This country is so magnificent and has so much to offer that it deserves a feature film.

Free road trip plans with maps

Day-by-day plans for the four drives most people take, each on an interactive map with where to sleep, fuel stops, waterfalls and reader discounts along the way. Built for a relaxed pace, not a race.

See all road trip plans

Map of hot springs, spas and pools

Every lagoon, wild hot spring and town pool in Iceland on one map. Find warm water near you, and see which spas give my readers a discount.

  • 57 places to soak
  • % Reader discounts
Open the hot springs map
You can´t make a film about Iceland and not feature the northern lights.
You can´t make a film about Iceland and not feature the northern lights.

What were the main challenges in making the film?

Intense blizzards and horizontal rainfall while camping, getting the jeep stuck in the middle of nowhere in snow, sand, mud, and water, and getting lost. So much editorial work, technical hurdles, and long rendering times due to about half of the film being high-resolution photographs compiled into time-lapses.

Driftwood in the Langanes peninsula in the northeast of Iceland.
Driftwood in the Langanes peninsula in the northeast of Iceland.

What places would you recommend to people visiting Iceland?

I would have to say the Langanes peninsula, it is so beautifully deserted, vast, and desolate. And Þríhnjúkagígur volcano, apparently the only place in the world where you can descend 130m down into the empty magma chamber of a volcano. Both locations are featured in the film.

Descend in the deep at Thrihnukagigur.
Descend in the deep at Thrihnukagigur.

The film is now available on the Vimeo on Demand platform.