BLACKPORT wins big at the national Edda Film & TV Awards
The Edda Awards 2023 were presented at the Icelandic Film and Television Academy's award ceremony on Sunday, March 19th.
Blackport, a hit drama series that tackles the Icelandic fishing quota system introduced in the 1980's and its effects on a small village, led with the most nominations and brought home a total of nine awards, including Best Fiction Series and Best Screenplay. The series lead actors, Gísli Örn Gardarsson and Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir, also received awards for their performances.
Beautiful Beings, by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson, won Best Film, and Hlynur Pálmason, director of Godland, won Best Director. Welcome Árni, by Viktoría Hermannsdóttir and Allan Sigurðsson, won Best Documentary.
Laufey Gudjónsdóttir, former director of the Icelandic Film Centre, was honored at the ceremony for her contribution to the film industry.
"We all know how much it takes to make a good film and how much work is behind the success of Icelandic filmmaking," she said in her speech. "It takes both creativity, professionalism, incredible perseverance, and courage. To celebrate all of this, it is very important to rely on the support of policy makers who have truly stood behind the industry. Of course, we all want more and different things, but it is fantastic to have this solid support, without which this would not be possible. It is also especially gratifying how the new Icelandic film policy has further strengthened the pillars of film education, film literacy, and so on."
The Icelandic Film and Television Academy's honorary award went to director Ágúst Gudmundsson for his contribution to filmmaking in Iceland. Ágúst was a key figure in the late 70's and into the 80's when Icelandic filmmaking saw rapid growth in both output and creativity following the establshment of the Icelandic Film Fund in 1979.
In his speech, he recounted how much the landscape has changed since he shot his first film, Land and Sons, in 1979.
"What art form has flourished better than filmmaking during this time? [Icelandic] Filmmaking has become a huge industry that generates billions and is no longer a burden on the state, if it ever was in the first place. And then there is the true value; the cultural value. Because if we want to continue speaking Icelandic, we must continue to produce cultural content in Icelandic. In particular a variety of films for cinemas, television, and all other media."
The awards ceremony was broadcast live on RÚV. The winners of the Edda Awards 2023 were as follows:
Feature Film
Beautiful Beings
Director
Hlynur Pálmason for Godland
Screenplay
Mikael Torfason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, and Gísli Örn Garðarsson for Blackport
Leading Male Actor
Gísli Örn Garðarsson for Blackport
Leading Female Actor
Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir for Blackport
Actor in Supporting Role
Björn Thors for A Letter From Helga
Actress in Supporting Role
Anita Briem for A Letter From Helga
Fiction Series
Blackport
Documentary
Welcome Árni
Short
Nest
Children- and Youth
Randalín og Mundi: Days in December
News- & Interview Program
Kveikur
Sports Program
Jón Arnór
Human Interest Program
Leitin að upprunanum
Cultural Program
European Film Awards
Entertainment Program
Áramótaskaup 2022
TV Person
Viktoría Hermannsdóttir
Effects
Guðjón Jónsson (VFX Supervisor) Monopix, ShortCut, MPC, Union VFX, and Filmgate for Against the Ice
Costume Design
Margrét Einarsdóttir and Rebekka Jónsdóttir for Blackport
Makeup Design
Kristín Júlla Kristjánsdóttir for Blackport
Original Score
Herdís Stefánsdóttir and Kjartan Dagur Holm for Blackport
Sound
Gunnar Árnason for Quake
Editing
Kristján Loðmfjörð for Blacport
Cinematography
Maria von Hausswolff for Godland
Production Design
Atli Geir Grétarsson and Ólafur Jónasson for Blackport
TV production – unscripted broadcasting
Salóme Þorkelsdóttir for Söngvakeppnin 2022
Honorary Award
Ágúst Guðmundsson