‘Godland’ Teaser Clip: Hlynur Pálmason’s Cannes Drama Evokes The Stark Spiritual Devotion Of Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ [Exclusive]

With Virginie Efra opening the festival as Master of Ceremony earlier this week, the 2022 Cannes Film Festival is underway. Many film-oriented publications, ours included, have put out their “Most Anticipated” lists for the festival, and one film many are very keen on is Hlynur Pálmason’s “Godland.” 

“Godland,” which will be played under Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, is set in the late 19th century. The film follows a young Danish priest who travels to a remote part of Iceland to build a church and photograph its people. However, the deeper he goes into the unforgiving landscape, the more he strays from his purpose, mission, and morality. 

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In his director’s statement, filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason (“A White, White Day“) stated that the film explores family bonds, the acceptance of myth, or some kind of magical realism. He went on to explain that it is a story that is about communication, humanity, inner and outer conflicts, ambition, love and faith, and wanting to be a part of something. In terms of what you can expect from the film, journalist Marta Balaga drew a comparison between “Godland” and Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” because of the earnestness and religious aspects. 

“Godland” stars Ingvar Sigurdsson, Vic Carmen Sonne, and Elliott Crosset Hove. The film is produced by Katrin Pors, Eva Jakobsen, and Mikkel Jersin of Snowglobe (Denmark), and Anton Máni Svansson of Join Motion Pictures (Iceland). Other producers include Didar Domehri of Maneki Films (France), Anthony Muir and Peter Possne of Film I Väst (Sweden), Mimmi Spång of Garagefilm International (Sweden), and Iceland’s Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson. New Europe Films Sales sold Pálmason’s first two films, “Winter Brothers” and “A White, White Day” and have also boarded “Godland.”

“Godland” looks stark and bleak in the best way possible and we’re pleased to exclusively premiere the first clip from the film below.

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