Last weekend's new Icelandic film Jitters (Órói) directed by Baldvin Z and produced by the Icelandic Film Company, opened for a second place at the Top Ten, thanks to its clear positioning on the market (youth film for under 25) and positive reviews. The thriller Undercurrent (Brím) increased its attendance by 33% on its first weekend and took the third place, while the children's film The Secret Spell (Algjör Sveppi og dularfulla hótelherbergið) was number five in its sixth week. Still playing in one cinema, Summerland was number 14 after five weeks.
Baltasar Kormákur's English language film Inhale (photo) - a minority Icelandic co-production - is coming out this Friday on domestic screens, and another three to four other films should open by the end of the year: the documentary Gnarr by Gaukur Ullfarson, Rockland (Stormland), the second film by Marteinn St Thorsson (One Point O), Rock Bottom by Börkur Gunnarsson, the story of a journalist trying to save his relationship with his girlfriend, and the youth film Hullabaloo directed by Gunnar Björn Gudmunsson.
Laufey Guðjónsdóttir, head of the Icelandic Film Centre said some of those films are simply ready at the same time after having been stuck in the turmoil of the financial crisis, unable to finalize post-production work as originally planned.
Unfortunately, the economic outlook for 2011 doesn't look rosier. "Filmmaking in Iceland is like a train gradually slowing down. I'm afraid we're coming to the standstill," she said. The film budget 2010 that was cut by 34%, to slightly over €2, will most likely loose another 8% next year. For Guðjónsdóttir, the cuts will have a repercussion on the promotional budget set aside for talents travelling to festivals. On a brighter note, audiences can look forward to the theatrical release in 2011 of Baltasar Kormákur's new Icelandic project The Deep and Rúnar Rúnarsson's feature debut Volcano.