GRANDMA LO-FI: THE BASEMENT TAPES OF SIGRÍDUR NÍELSDÓTTIR - dir. ORRI JÓNSSON, KRISTÍN BJÖRK KRISTJÁNSDÓTTIR, INGIBJÖRG BIRGISDÓTTIR

At the tender age of 70 she started recording and releasing her own music straight from the living room. 7 years later she had 59 albums to her name with more than 600 songs – an eccentric myriad of catchy compositions mixing in her pets, found toys, kitchen percussion and casio keyboards.

Sigríður Níelsdóttir is her name, and before long the Icelandic/Danish musician and visual artist became an adored cult figure in the Icelandic music scene, represented here by her young apprentices Mugison, múm, and Sin Fang of Seabear who pay tribute to the grandma’s irresistibly catchy, yet eccentric pop tunes.

Shot mostly on Super-8 and 16mm ‘Grandma Lo-fi’ was created over a period of seven years by three musicians and debuting directors, capturing the most productive period in the life of Sigríður Níelsdóttir. In many ways Sigríður is like a cartoon character. Poetic moves such as taking in broken-winged pigeons that in return sing along to her tunes, or transforming a cream whisk into a helicopter, all call for animated sequences that bridge the obscure space between her exemplary imagination and a delightfully peculiar everyday existence.

‘Grandma Lo-fi’ is a cinematic tribute to an amazing musician and to her boundless creativity.

Original title: Amma Lo-fi
English title: Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir
Genre: Music film
Language: Icelandic, Danish

Director(s): Orri Jónsson, Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir
Script: Orri Jónsson, Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir
Main cast: Sigrídur Níelsdóttir, Örvar Smárason, Sin Fang, Mr. Silla, Gunnar Örn Tynes, Hildur I. Gudnadóttir, Kría Brekkan, Mugison
Editor(s): Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir, Orri Jónsson
Cinematography: Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, Orri Jónsson, Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir, Magnús Helgason
Sound design: Kjartan Kjartansson
Music: Sigrídur Níelsdóttir
Producer(s): Sæmundur Nordfjord
Co-producer(s): Louise Højgaard Johansen
Production company: Republik Productions
Co-production company: Sunn Productions
Sales and distribution: Louise H. Johansen
Supported by: Icelandic Film Centre
Contact info: Festivals, sales, press: Louise H. Johansen, louise.johansen@gmail.com, +45 40901900

Production country: Iceland, Denmark
Sound: mono       
Lenght: 62 min.
Production format: Super-8mm, 16mm, digital
Screening format: HDCAM, digital print
Aspect ratio: 4:3
National premiere date, year and cinema: November 5. 2011, Cinemateket, DK, CPH:DOX
International premiere date, year and cinema: TBA

Festivals
2011:
CPH: DOX, Copenhagen, Denmark, November 3 - 13. Won the Best International Music Film Award.