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IMDbPro

Lovers of the Arctic Circle

Original title: Los amantes del Círculo Polar
  • 19981998
  • RR
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
19K
YOUR RATING
Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
  • Drama
  • Mystery
  • Romance
In cold Lapland Finland, under the eternal midnight sun, two ardent lovers reunite once again after a long period apart, governed by a powerful and eloquent circular motif woven by destiny, ... Read allIn cold Lapland Finland, under the eternal midnight sun, two ardent lovers reunite once again after a long period apart, governed by a powerful and eloquent circular motif woven by destiny, faith, and love. Can they deny their destiny?In cold Lapland Finland, under the eternal midnight sun, two ardent lovers reunite once again after a long period apart, governed by a powerful and eloquent circular motif woven by destiny, faith, and love. Can they deny their destiny?
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Julio Medem
  • Writer
    • Julio Medem
  • Stars
    • Najwa Nimri
    • Fele Martínez
    • Nancho Novo
Top credits
  • Director
    • Julio Medem
  • Writer
    • Julio Medem
  • Stars
    • Najwa Nimri
    • Fele Martínez
    • Nancho Novo
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 82User reviews
    • 56Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 14 wins & 8 nominations

    Photos57

    Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez and Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Fele Martínez in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
    Najwa Nimri in Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Najwa Nimri
    Najwa Nimri
    • Anaas Ana
    Fele Martínez
    Fele Martínez
    • Ottoas Otto
    • (as Fele Martinez)
    Nancho Novo
    Nancho Novo
    • Álvaroas Álvaro
    Maru Valdivielso
    Maru Valdivielso
    • Olgaas Olga
    Peru Medem
    • Ottoas Otto
    Sara Valiente
    • Anaas Ana
    Víctor Hugo Oliveira
    • Ottoas Otto
    Kristel Díaz
    • Anaas Ana
    • (as Kristel Diaz)
    Pep Munné
    Pep Munné
    • Javieras Javier
    • (as Pep Munne)
    Jaroslaw Bielski
    • Álvaro Midelmanas Álvaro Midelman
    • (as Jaroslaw Bielski)
    Rosa Morales
    • Sofíaas Sofía
    Joost Siedhoff
    • Otto Midelmanas Otto Midelman
    Beate Jensen
    • Madre de Ottoas Madre de Otto
    Petri Heino
    • Akias Aki
    Outi Alanen
    Outi Alanen
    • Mensajeraas Mensajera
    María Isasi
    María Isasi
    • Dependientaas Dependienta
    • (as Maria Isasi-Isasmendi)
    Ángela Castilla
    • Casera pensiónas Casera pensión
    • (as Angela Castilla)
    Luz Nicolás
    • Chica 1as Chica 1
    • Director
      • Julio Medem
    • Writer
      • Julio Medem
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When asked where the idea for the movie came from, Julio Medem said that he started thinking about it after getting divorced, because it was the first time he experienced heartbreak and wanted to write a movie about the love as the most powerful force, something that never ends and it's forever between two people.
    • Goofs
      In the shop, the red heart continuously appears and disappears from the counter.
    • Quotes

      Ana: I could tell my life story as a train of coincidences.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Mummy/The Castle/This Is My Father/A Midsummer Night's Dream/Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Sinitaivas
      Written by Josef Rixner, Lauri Jauhiainen, George de Godzinsky

      Performed by Olavi Virta and The Harmony Sisters

    User reviews82

    Review
    Top review
    A bit cold but still clever and interesting enough to give time to
    Ana and Otto met when they were children. She was running in the woods after hearing of her father's death; he was running to get a football. When they met, he fell for her immediately and she could see her dead father inside him. Sadly coincidences lead her mother to fall in love with his father and, before long, they are brother and sister. Over the years though, their affection grows and they begin a relationship that is so secret that they barely know it themselves. In this circle of love and life, strange things occur that they see from different perspectives.

    This film is the sort of foreign art-house cinema that will make some viewers pull their hair or fall asleep with boredom, so maybe be careful if you are the type of viewer more at home with Porky's rather than anything cerebral; but for everyone else this strange yet engaging film is well worth a look. The plot is about a stepbrother and sister who are sort of in love but to just describe it as that is to do it an injustice. It is much more than that, not all necessarily good, but all interesting enough to watch. The plot movies in little circles – like their names, it has a palindromic effect with one large circle and lots of little ones within; it is very smartly written and I did enjoy it for this. This doesn't help the heart of the film though, and at times I did find it very cold and uninvolving – the characters weren't really real enough and I found the coincidences to actually stop the story being moving and occasionally did make it feel gimmicky. It is also knowingly weird at times and that also put me off; but the overall effect is good.

    The cast are little more than players within this tricky little film and, as such, they mainly struggle to deliver real characters. Ono and Anna are played pretty flat and cold but it is at least good that they were played consistently over the generation jumps and each acting partnership. It is not really their fault because the film is more interested in the ironies of the circling life and coincidences rather than getting to the heart of the characters – they try hard but this is not a film to watch for strong acting performances.

    Overall this is a good film but one that may leave many viewers cold and unimpressed by the gimmicks; however many others will be won over by the clever delivery that is filled with mini circles within circles all within the overall palindrome of the total product. At times the cold telling is a bit distracting and the coincidences are not as deep as the film would have us believe but generally it is worth a shot and is a memorable little film.
    helpful•23
    15
    • bob the moo
    • Dec 20, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 28, 1998 (Spain)
    • Countries of origin
      • Spain
      • France
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • Spanish
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kutup Çizgisi Aşıkları
    • Filming locations
      • Rovaniemi, Finland
    • Production companies
      • Canal+
      • Sociedad
      • Sociedad General de Televisión (Sogetel)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $317,422
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,697
      • Apr 11, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $357,549
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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