Reykjavik film festival kicks off with I Killed My Mother

The festival kicks off with Xavier Dolan’s Directors’ Fortnight winner I Killed My Mother. The film is one of 14 first or second features competing for RIFF’s Golden Puffin award.

Danish actress Iben Hjejle will chair an all-female jury that also includes Elisabet  Ronaldsdottir, Sitora Alieva, Jessica Hausner and Elva Osk Olafsdottir.

Other festival selections also include Parque Via, Food Inc.,Swimsuit Issue, Fish Tank, Dogtooth, Dead Snow, Storm, Daytime Drinking, Lourdes and Prodigal Sons.

In addition, special events this year include a swimming pool screening night of horror films, a special Food on Film programme, and “living-room screenings” at the homes of Icelandic directors including Fridrik Thor Fridriksson.

The recipient of RIFF’s Honorary Award will be Czech director Milos Forman. The festival will screen three of his films - One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus and Firemen’s Ball.

Festival director Hronn Marinosdottir told ScreenDaily that RIFF is ready for its biggest year despite the country’s economic collapse.

“Who would have believed that the Reykjavik International Film Festival would outlast its main sponsor of previous years, Landsbankinn bank? Many would probably have burst out laughing if someone had predicted such an improbability. But this festival, which is small on an international scale but big indeed for Iceland, is still going and intends to keep going and thrive for years to come.”

She added that this year’s programme features the “crème de la crème” of films from this year’s festival circuit but the organisers are “most excited” about its competition line-up, which are all first or second features.

The festival runs through September 27.