Last Sunday I went to see a film from Greenland, Heart of Light (Lysets Hjerte). By the time I got to the place where it was being shown (Natural History museum in DC), it was already 2/3 done.
It was pretty good, at least the part that I saw. There were flashbacks and scenes of magic realism… references to Danish colonialism and cultural imperialism… And while there were moments that seemed confusing or scenes that seemed weakly resolved, they didn’t pose insurmountable frustrations to my following the film’s momentum.
I liked the awesome scenery and deft cinematography. There were gaps in the translation from Inuit and Danish (and sometimes it wasn’t clear to what extent Danish was in use), but that added to the exotic authenticity.
I wasn’t sure quite what to expect before I went. So why go see this 1998 film? ...‘cause I’m interested in other countries and cultures. On one of my trips across the Atlantic, my plane had passed by Greenland. Looking out the window, one couldn’t tell whether it was a land mass or a collection of icebergs.
So now I have some exposure to Greenland’s culture, after seeing part of this first feature film to be shot there. Not sure if I’ll ever visit (I tend to favor warmer climes).
That reminds me that many years ago, I saw the first feature film from Luxembourg. That’s an experience that is usually worth sharing, only if you meet someone who’s been there or from there… which I did several years afterward. (I surprised a Luxembourg postal official at an international stamp expo.)
That’s the great thing about a blog. I don’t have to wait a bunch of years to run into a Greenlander to discuss a film about Greenland.
followup:
To get a first-hand impression of global warming in Greenland in August 2005, go to this BBC correspondent's essay:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4145034.stm
Posted by: raacluse at August 17, 2005 06:38 PM