The two-part series produced by Baldvin Z’s Glassriver was first pitched to world buyers at MIPTV by sales agent DR Sales, in charge of selected RUV programmes. 

Based on a true story, Manners (Mannasiðir) was first turned into a radio play by actress/writer/director María Reyndal before landing on Iceland’s pubcaster RÚV over Easter, where it achieved the best ratings and received positive reactions from the critics and on social media. The main character, 19-year old Einar (Eysteinn Sigurdarson from Trapped) is the coolest guy at college, playing in a band. After a gig, he takes Ella (Ebba Katrin Finnsdóttir) to the student association’s room. There she experiences him raping her, but according to him, it was lousy sex. The story travels quickly around the school after the girl shares posts on social media, but he denies the accusations. The series focuses on how the alleged offender and his family experience the sexual offence.

Reyndal spent a few years researching sexual violence in Icelandic society. She told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið: "We hear stories from girls and women about these issues [of sexual offense] and fortunately we get to understand and realise what has happened, but the other side of the story is like a closed book.”

Reyndal said that today as more stories of sexual abuse are emerging with the #MeToo movement, it is all the more important to get to know and understand the men and boys behind the offenses. 

Manners was produced by Arnbjörg (Abby) Hafliðadóttir, Hördur Rúnarsson, Baldvin Z and Andri Óttarsson of Glassriver for RÚV. Rúnarsson told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “At Glassriver, we want to promote gender equality and were very happy to promote a new female writer/director María Reyndal. Our partner in Glassriver, Abby, is also one of the most experienced producers in Iceland [she has worked on Case among others]. 

Glassriver’s upcoming projects include Baldvin Z’s international thriller The Trip produced for Iceland’s SVOD service Síminn, in collaboration with US-based MGMT Entertainment and French Wild Bunch Television.