07/10/2020 - This year’s postponed edition saw the triumph of Hlynur Pálmason’s A White, White Day and Silja Hauksdóttir’s Agnes Joy

This year’s Edda Awards recipients have been announced by the Icelandic Film and Television Academy. The Eddas, established in 1999, honour the biggest national film and TV successes of the season, and are the most prominent awards in the local audiovisual industry. The prize-giving ceremony was broadcast by RÚV yesterday evening. The event was set to happen in March, but had to be postponed owing to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

This edition’s two big victors were Silja Hauksdóttir’s Agnes Joy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Hlynur Pálmason’s A White, White Day [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hlynur Pálmason
film profile]. Hauksdóttir’s drama revolves around Rannveig, who is experiencing burnout in all aspects of her mundane, suburban life. She’s stuck with a job that she hates and a marriage that is slowly dying, while constantly fighting with her rebellious daughter, Agnes. The arrival of a new neighbour, Hreinn, pushes the family to face new challenges that are beyond their control.

A White, White Day had a successful festival run – having played at Athens, Cannes, Barcelona, Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zurich, among others – and focuses on an off-duty police officer who begins to suspect a local man of having had an affair with his recently deceased wife. His obsession with finding out the truth intensifies, to the extent that the agent begins to put himself and his loved ones in danger.

Here is the list of the 2020 Edda Award winners:

Film of the Year
Agnes Joy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Silja Hauksdóttir

Best Director
Hlynur Pálmason - A White, White Day [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hlynur Pálmason
film profile] (Iceland/Denmark/Sweden)

Best Original Screenplay
Silja Hauksdóttir, Gagga Jónsdóttir and Jóhanna Friðrika Sæmundsdóttir - Agnes Joy

Best Leading Actor
Ingvar E Sigurðsson - A White, White Day

Best Leading Actress
Katla Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir - Agnes Joy

Best Supporting Actress
Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir - A White, White Day

Best Supporting Actor
Björn Hlynur Haraldsson - Agnes Joy

Best Documentary
The Vasulka Effect - Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir (Iceland/Czech Republic)

Best TV Fiction
Happily Never After - Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir and Marteinn Thorsson

Best Costumes
Margrét Einarsdóttir – Valhalla [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Denmark/Norway/Sweden/Iceland)

Best Sound
Gunnar Árnason - Agnes Joy

Best Editing
Kristján Loðmfjörð and Lína Thoroddsen - Agnes Joy

Best Cinematography
Maria von Hausswolff - A White, White Day

Best Production Design
Hulda Helgadóttir - A White, White Day

TV Personality of the Year
Helgi Seljan - Kveikur

Best Original Score
Edmund Finnis - A White, White Day

ÍKSA Honorary Award
Spaugstofan

Best Teen and Children’s Film
Valhalla - Fenar Ahmad

Best News and Interview Programme
Kveikur

Best Cultural TV Programme
Kiljan

Best Human Interest Programme
Svona fólk

Best Entertainment Programme
Áramótaskaup 2019

Best Sports Programme
HM stofan – HM kvenna í fótbolta

Best Short Film
Paperboy - Ninna Palma

Best Visual Effects
Pétur Karlsson, Eva Sólveig Þórðardóttir and Haukur Karlsson - Trapped 2

Best Prosthetics
Áslaug Dröfn Sigurðardóttir - Trapped 2

Best TV Production (Unscripted Broadcasting)
Salóme Þorkelsdóttir and Gísli Berg – Söngvakeppnina 2019

Best TV Production (Public Voting)
Dominos körfuboltakvöld – Stöð 2 Sport