THE GOOD HEART - dir. DAGUR KARI

Synopsis: Lucas has come to an existential dead-end. He is young and homeless, living in a cardboard box under the Brooklyn Bridge. With a total lack of prospects for the future, Lucas tries to commit suicide, but the attempt is a failure like everything else in his life. Recuperating in hospital Lucas is forced to share a room with Jacques, a grumpy old bar-owner whose unhealthy lifestyle has resulted in no fewer than five heart attacks. With no family and a high risk of passing away any minute, Jacques takes Lucas under his wing with the intention of passing on his legacy. Lucas moves in with Jacques and begins a hectic learning process in a bar that has totally its own set of rules and philosophies. Against all odds, Jacques and Lucas form a quirky friendship. Everything seems to be going according to plan.Until one rainy night when April, a drunken stewardess, strays into the bar. Lucas is unable to turn this beautiful stranger away and invites April to stay. This is a dramatic threat to Jacques´ plans and from that point on, things can only go wrong.

Original title: The Good Heart
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Language: English

Director: Dagur Kari
Scriptwriter: Dagur Kari
Main cast: Brian Cox, Paul Dano, Isild le Besco
Editor: Andri Steinn Gudmundsson
Cinematographer: Rasmus Videbæk
Music: Slowblow
Producers: Thor S. Sigurjonsson, Skuli Fr. Malmquist
Production company: Zik Zak Filmworks
Co-production companies: Nimbus Film, Ex Nihilo, Network Movie
Sales and distribution: Wild Bunch
Website: www.zikzak.is, www.wildbunch.biz

Country: Iceland
Length: 90 minutes
Film gague/aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Production format: 35mm
Premiere date and year: September 11th 2009, Toronto International Film Festival

Festivals
2009:
Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto, Canada Pusan International Film Festival, Busan, S-Korea Gijon International Film Festival, Gijon, Spain
2010:
Göteborg International Film Festival, Göteborg, Sweden, January 29.-February 8.
SXSW Film Festival, Festival Favorites, Austin, USA, March 12.-20.
Off Plus Camera, Krakow, Poland, April 16. - 25.
Nordische Filmtage Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany, November 3.- 7. Won the Audience Award.
Scanorama European Film Forum, Vilnius, Lithuania, November 11.-21.
2011:
Scandinavian Film Festival L.A., Los Angeles, Bandaríkjunum, 15. - 16. janúar.

Additional information
"The Good Heart" review in Screendaily by Brent Simon