The tenth Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) starts today, Thursday the 26th of September. Until October the 6th Háskólabíó, Tjarnarbíó and The Nordic House will be brimming with interesting and exciting films from all over the world. As usual there will be a fair share of new interesting LGBT films to catch, as you can see below.
Blue is the Warmest Colour by Abdellatif Kechiche. The film’s protagonist is Adèle, a 15-year-old girl who aspires to become a teacher. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Emma, a blue-haired art student at a nearby college, who instigates a romance. This three-hour sexually explicit lesbian drama won the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and became the first film to be awarded the prize to both the director and the main actresses. Director: Abdellatif Kechiche/ Country: France
Screening: 5th October – 17.30 – Háskólabíó.
6th October – 17.00 – Háskólabíó.
Free Fall by German director Stephan Lacant. The film centers on Marc. A promising career in the riot control unit, a child on the way, a loan from his parents to buy a duplex: everything is running to plan in Marc’s life. Then fellow policeman Kay walks into his life at the training academy and Marc develops feelings for a man. Torn between the life he knows well and the exhilaration of this new adventure, his life rapidly spins out of control. Director: Stephan Lecant/ Country: Germany
Screenings: 26th September – 23.00 – Háskólabíó.
9th September – 19.00 – Háskólabíó.
1st October – 17.00 – Háskólabíó.
Gerontophilia is the newest film by the Bruce LaBruce, a Toronto based filmmaker, writer, director, photographer, and artist. The film is about Lake, an unusual boy: he is a young man with an old soul who is fascinated by old men. He imagines their age to be a beautiful thing but wonders sometimes if his fixation on old men is unnatural and unhealthy – perhaps even sexual. Shortly after taking a management job at an old folks home he embarks on a roadtrip with one of the residents. LaBruce will attend RIFF and have a Q&A after the screening of his film at Háskólabíó Sept. 30th at 21:30.
Director: Bruce La Bruce/ Country: Canada
Screenings: 26th September – 22.30 – Háskólabíó.
30th September – 21.30 – Háskólabíó.
2nd October – 21.00 – Háskólabíó.
Valentine Road is a documentary film by Marta Cunningham. World premiered at Sundance 2013, this film will both break your heart and fire you up into action. A 15-year-old boy asked another boy to be his valentine in a suburban schoolyard in California. The next day he was dead, shot in cold blood by his 14-year-old crush. At turns shocking, devastating, and outrageous, Valentine Road bores deeply into the homophobia, sexism, racism, and class-struggle that inform everyday American life. Director: Martha Cunningham/ Country: USA
Screenings: 26th September – 15.00 – Tjarnarbíó.
29th September – 17.00 – Tjarnarbíó.
1st October – 20.00 – Norræna húsið.
4th October – 13.00 – Tjarnarbíó. 
Salvation Army is the first full-length film from director Abdellah Taïa. Born in Salé, Morocco, thirty-nine years old, he is the first Moroccan and Arab writer to have openly come out about his homosexuality. The movie starts in Casablanca, where the young Abdellah spends his days at home, living a relationship of conflicts and complicity with his father. In the city streets, he has occasional sexual intercourses with men. Ten years later, Abdellah lives with his Swiss lover, Jean. He leaves Morocco and goes to Geneva but decides to break up with Jean and start a new life alone. Abdellah visits Iceland for the festival and has a Q&A after two screenings of his film, in Háskólabíó 27th Sept at 22:00, and 28th Sept at 20:00.
Director: Abdelah Taia/ Country: France/Morocco
Screenings: 27th September – 22.00 – Háskólabíó.
28th September – 20.00 – Háskólabíó.
3rd October – 23.00 – Háskólabíó.
6th October – 16.00 – Háskólabíó.
About The Reykjavik International Film Festival
RIFF takes place every year in late September for eleven days. The festival shows a wide range of dramas and non-fiction films from over 40 countries. The festival highlights independent filmmaking from all over the world with an emphasis on up-and-coming filmmakers. RIFF encourages the interaction of film with other art forms by organizing concerts, photo exhibitions and more. The festival also manages the RIFF industry office, complete with a video library, information and guest services, and co-organizes networking meetings and dinners for the attending professionals.
RIFF was founded in September 2004, by a small group of film professionals and film enthusiasts led by Festival Director Hrönn Marinósdóttir, with the goal of presenting new and progressive quality films, supporting innovation in filmmaking, networking between professionals from various parts of the world and fostering social and cultural dialogue.
