LIVERPOOL OF THE NORTH - dir. THORGEIR GUDMUNDSSON

In the late fifties Iceland was isolated and backwards. Industrialisation had really just begun and the country was taking it’s first steps towards the ultra-modern society we know today. The US military set up a base next to the sleepy fishing village of Keflavik on the south coast setting everything on it’s head. The Americans outnumbered the locals three to one. Culturally it was as if a UFO had landed. The young people were more open to cultural influences than the older generation and this triggered a rock and roll explosion which then swept the rest of the country. It was the birth of Icelandic teenage culture. Because of Iceland’s location right between America and Europe the cultural influences mixed to produce an unique blend. This is a coming of age story of a music scene reflected in the life of our main character. Runar Juliusson is quite the character. He is a founding member and frontman of the ‘Icelandic Beatles’ a band called Hljomar which celebrated their 40’th year in 2003. Runar played with the national football team, was voted pop-star of the year and got engaged to Miss Iceland, all in the same year. At the time he was building his house in Keflavik where he still lives with his beauty queen. In the basement he runs a studio and where he records his own records as well as producing younger acts which he releases on his own label. At 60,he still releases at least one album a year and plays over 200 gigs a year. The pioneers of Keflavik were kings of the Icelandic scenes for decades and many of them are still active. The documentary tells the story through interviews with the pioneers as well as others who worked with them and still others, like Björk, who grew up under their influence. The film is energetically edited with original footage shot through the years and the music plays a prominent part. The film shows the triumphs and hits as well as humiliations and heartbreaking failures. The musicians struggle to make a living in the tiny market of Iceland (population 250.000), inventing an Icelandic pop-culture in the process. Despite countless attempts, it is only the younger generation that manages to break into the international music scene. Today Keflavik is part of the modern Icelandic society that it had a big part in shaping.

Original title: Bítlabærinn Keflavík
English title: Liverpool of the North
Genre: Documentary
Language: Icelandic

Director: Thorgeir Gudmundsson
Scriptwriter: Óttarr Proppe
Editor: Thorgeir Gudmundsson
Cinematographer: Árni Sveinsson, Thorgeir Gudmundsson
Sound design: Steingrímur Eyfjörd Gudmundsson, Ester Bíbí Ásgeirsdóttir
Producer(s): Sigurdur Björn Blöndal
Co-producer(s): Steinthór Birgisson
Production company: Glysgirni
Co-production company: Seylan Film Production, CinemaSound
Supported by: Icelandic Film Centre

Country: Iceland
Length: 102 minutes
Premiere date and year: April 15th 2005