Autumn Lights (2016)

An American photographer adrift in a remote Icelandic community becomes entangled in the lives of a mysterious European couple.

Director:

Angad Aulakh

Writer:

Angad Aulakh

Stars:

Guy Kent, Marta Gastini, Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson

4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Guy Kent	...	David
Marta Gastini	...	Marie
Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson	...	Jóhann
Thora Bjorg Helga	...	Eva
Salóme Gunnarsdóttir	...	Liv (as Salome R. Gunnarsdottir)
Stefán Hallur Stefánsson	...	Sveinn
Snorri Engilbertsson	...	Lars
Kolbeinn Arnbjörnsson	...	Alex
Sveinn Geirsson	...	Detective
Lilja Birgisdottir	...	Elisa
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jordan Goldnadel	...	Marcel
Charlotte Vercoustre	...	Isabella

Storyline

Set against Iceland's dramatic landscape, Autumn Lights is a story of morality, virtue, and relationships as seen through the eyes of a foreigner in a strange land. The story follows David, an introverted American photographer adrift in remote Iceland while on assignment. When he gets caught in a local investigation after discovering a deserted body washed ashore, David is temporarily bound to a place he doesn't call home and he acquaints himself with the few inhabitants in the area, among them Marie, an Italian woman whose shiftiness betrays not only her beautiful face but her Icelandic husband Jóhann and his own unruffled demeanor. As days pass, David's fascination with the couple intensifies and he slowly begins to find himself entangled in their mysterious lives.

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Plot Keywords:

iceland | europe | reykjavik | suicide | detective | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Autumn Lights (2016) was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Italy's Riviera International Film Festival with Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World (2016), Ciro Guerra's Embrace of the Serpent (2015), and others.

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Quotes

Jóhann: You want to know a secret?
David: What's that?
Jóhann: There are only two things that we can depend on in life. Ourselves and our own unhappiness.

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Connections

References Three Colors: Red (1994)

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Soundtracks

Seconds
Music and Lyrics by Hjörtur Ingvi Jóhannsson
Performed by Sigríður Thorlacius

User Reviews

An okay start in a beautiful location... but boring and trivial film....

Beautiful locations, so-so (if not dull) cinematography, and useless scenes riddled with weak and expositional dialogue. For an independent film, it looks serviceable, but what is technically satisfactory is doubled in it's problems considering character, plot, and performance. The writing and execution needs work - and though one can see the creators' vision and the concept itself has potential, it ended up resulting in an amateur product. It focuses too much on trivial threads, scenes are repetitive and drag. As a personal project, it's good - but as an actual film, it's a feather - it holds no weight to it. Nothing's really all too incredible except the location of Iceland itself, and let's be real - it's not difficult to make Iceland pretty on screen. It's one of the most moody, scenic, and beautiful places on earth - it's just that the story didn't do anything to service that. Heavy handed and boring, even pretentious, this film brings no revelations. Too much telling and not enough showing to bring about the emotional context it so desires to play on. Tries to be earnest without much substance to its subject, as well as predictable.

Though this film wasn't that much of an experience to get through, I wouldn't object to seeing any future pieces of the director/studio's in hope that their next project will be much more competent. All that I've taken from this film is that I need to visit Iceland, but I've already known that for a very long time.

Details

Official Sites:

Last Carnival Mystery Productions

Country:

USA Iceland France

Language:

English Italian Icelandic

Release Date:

21 October 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Autumn Lights

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,000, 23 October 2016

Gross USA:

$207,500

Company Credits

Production Co:

Last Carnival, Mystery Productions, Sugarloaf

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1