When the Light Breaks

Local title
Valguse murdumine
Original title
Ljósbrot
Director
Rúnar Rúnarsson
Country
Iceland, Netherlands, France, Croatia
Year
2024
Festival
28th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Screen International Critics' Choice
Genre
drama
Subject
love, friendship, grief

National and personal tragedy collide over the course of a single Icelandic summer day.

The true moment of reaching adulthood isn’t determined by age, but by death. Rúnar Rúnarsson’s slender story pivots on a traumatic 24 hours – sunset to sunset – in the life of young Icelandic performance art student Una (Elin Hall). This film from the director of “Volcano”, “Sparrows” and “Echo” is almost possessed by the titular light and the image of his native Reykjavík as he works again with his longtime collaborator DoP Sophia Olsson. Newcomer Hall strikes a real presence – bright as the light of summer in Iceland – and her character seems just as likely to survive this problematic present. Technically adults – they all seem to be in their early twenties – the events of this day will scrub out childhoods from their fresh faces and set their futures.

Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International

Director
Rúnar Rúnarsson
Screenwriter
Rúnar Rúnarsson
Cast
Elín Hall, Mikael Kaaber, Katla Njálsdóttir, Ágúst Wigum, Gunnar Hrafn Kristjánsson, Baldur Einarsson
Producer
Heather Millard, Rúnar Rúnarsson
Cinematographer
Sophia Olsson
Music
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Runtime
Language
Icelandic
Subtitles
English
Other festivals
Cannes, Toronto, Karlovy Vary
Director
Rúnar Rúnarsson

Screenings

1st Saku hall Apollo Kino Solaris
Screening011105 / Valguse murdumine
SubtitlesEnglish
Screening duration
2nd Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening030202 / Valguse murdumine
SubtitlesEnglish
Screening duration
2nd Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening090203 / Valguse murdumine
SubtitlesEnglish
Screening duration
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