Iceland's Stockfish welcomes Vachon, Bouchareb, Blethyn

Reykjavik’s inaugural Stockfish European Film Festival wrapped this weekend after welcoming international guests such as Rachid Bouchareb, Brenda Blethyn [pictured] and Christine Vachon.

More than 30 European arthouse films were screened at the Bio Paradis in downtown Reykjavik.

Local filmmakers attended seminars, workshops and a masterclass by Pavel Jech, dean of Czech film school FAMU.

The festival paid tribute to Icelandic cinematographer Sigurður Sverrir Pálsson and included a retrospective of some of his short films.

Sweden’s Blowfly Park (Flugparken) opened the festival, with actor Sverrir Gudnason and director Jens Östberg in attendance. The film will also be a part of Stockfish on Wheels, an upcoming tour across Iceland with several films from the festival.

The festival’s short film award went to Mikel Gurren’s London-set father-son story Foxes, produced by Eva Sigurðardóttir.

The jury said Foxes is “a solid and sincere work that is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced world. The writer displays a strong sense of character, while the directing is equally compelling and effortless. In this simple story of fatherhood, a reality is depicted, that many will find deeply relatable. “

Stockfish launched this year to continue the legacy of the Reykjavik Film Festival, which ran from 1978-2001. The event is separate from September’s Reykjavik International Film Festival, now in its 12th year.

Stockfish, which counts Oscar nominee Fridrik Thor Fridriksson as chair of its board, is backed by Iceland’s professional filmmaking associations: The Film Directors Guild of Iceland, the Icelandic Film Makers Association, the Association of Icelandic Film Producers, Union of Icelandic Actors, Women in Film and Television and the Icelandic Dramatists Union.