Woman at War

2018 Thriller/Comedy-drama; Iceland 1hr 41 mins Cert: 12A

Director: Benedikt Erlingsson

 The story of Halla, a 50 year old environmentalist is told by director Erlingsson, whose debut ‘Of Horses and Men’, showcasing his brand of deadpan tragi-comic humour, received great reviews when screened at a previous season of the Whitby Film Society.

She is crusading against the local aluminium industry in Iceland. As her actions grow bolder, her life changes in the blink of an eye, when she is finally granted permission to adopt a girl from the Ukraine.

Within this jet-black comedy, which takes as its subject matter the despoliation of the planet, there is a warmth, wit and wisdom that transcend national and cultural boundaries, making this a universal treat. Eco woman Halla, alias ‘Mountain Woman’ is a bike riding environmental guerilla, combining the physicality of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt with the character depth of Liv Ullman or Greta Garbo.

Erlingsson has described his film as a “mainstream blockbuster for everyone…..a heroic tale set in our world of imminent threat” and presents life-or-death struggles in a thrillingly offbeat fashion.