White Night Wedding is a 2008 Icelandic film directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Baltasar Kormákur

Baltasar Kormákur is an Icelandic actor, theater and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films 101 Reykjavík, Hafið, A Little Trip to Heaven , and a film based on the book Mýrin by Arnaldur Indriðason...

. The bittersweet comedy, about the never-ending search for love and happiness, takes place in Flatey, Breiðafjörður, western Iceland. The film is loosely based on the play Ivanov by Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...

.

Plot

The film opens with a wedding rehearsal at a small church in an isolated, barren landscape. At the altar the groom-to-be (Jon, a middle-aged literature professor) is repeatedly interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone, much to the annoyance of the minister. The present narrative alternates with flashbacks, in which the disintegration of Jon's first marriage to Anna (a sensitive artist) is seen. Jon's second wife is a former student half his age, which triggers disapproval by some (including his future in-laws). As preparations for the wedding unfold during the "white night" (the shortest night of the year, when it is never fully dark), the reason for Jon's increasing reluctance to marry is revealed: he and Anna visited the same spot a year earlier, when she died in an accident after discovering Jon and Thora (his former student) making love. The marriage finally takes place, and Jon and Thora settle down to a life very much like the one he had with Anna.

Cast

• Jon: Hilmir Snær Guðnason
  Hilmir Snær Guðnason
  Hilmir Snær Guðnason is an Icelandic actor. He is famous in his native country and has appeared in both film and on stage. In 2000 he was named as one of European films 'Shooting Stars' by European Film Promotion...
  
  
• Anna: Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir
  Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir
  Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir is an Icelandic actress from Reykjavík.In 1994, Margrét graduated from Listaháskóli Íslands, the Icelandic Drama Academy, and worked at Reykjavík Theatre Company for several years...
  
  
• Thora: Laufey Elíasdóttir
• Borkur: Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson
  Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson
  Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson , born 23 April 1961 in Reykjavík, Iceland, is an Icelandic stage, film and television actor.Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson graduated from the Icelandic School of Drama in 1985...
  
  
• Larus: Jóhann Sigurðsson
• Sisi: Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir
• Sjonni: Ólfur Darri Ólafsson
• Matthildur: Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir
• Olafur the elder: Ólafur Egill Egilsson

Critical reception

White Night Wedding was nominated for the 2008 Nordic Council Film Prize

The Nordic Council Film Prize

The Nordic Council Film Prize is an annual film prize administered by the Nordic Council. The first award was handed outin 2002 to celebrate the Nordic Council's 50th anniversary. Since 2005 the prize has been annual. One winner is chosen from submissions from the five Nordic countries. In 2008,...

 and the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film. It received seven Edda Award

Edda Award

The Edda Award is an accolade bestowed by The Icelandic Film and Television Academy , and is the most prominent film and television award in Iceland...

s in 2008:

• Best film
• Best actor
• Best supporting actor (Throstur Leo Gunnarsson)
• Best supporting actress (Olafia Hronn Jonsdottir)
• Best cimematographer
  Cinematography
  Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
  
  : Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson
• Best costumes: Helga I. Stefansdottir
• Best set design: Gretar Reynisson and Atli Geir Gretarsson