24/02/2025 - The Icelandic-Czech-Canadian picture takes a closer look at a generation trapped by the over-abundance of choice and the invasion of technology

Cineuropa has gained an exclusive first look at Jon Einarsson Gustafsson’s Anorgasmia. The indie film, now completed, is a co-production between Iceland, the Czech Republic and Canada.

In detail, the feature follows Sam and Naomi, who meet by chance in a Reykjavík hostel, sharing an impulsive encounter in the luggage room. They part ways, expecting never to see each other again. That night, a volcanic eruption grounds all flights, leaving them stranded on the island. Sam, a wannabe photographer driven by his desire to be the first to capture the eruption, steals a car and sets off toward the highlands. Naomi, seeking an escape from her own life, decides to join him on this tense and uncertain journey. As they venture through Iceland’s raw and unforgiving landscape, their emotional barriers begin to erode. Naomi, running from commitment and the weight of major life choices, gradually exposes the cracks in Sam's carefully built defences - walls that have protected him from pain and disappointment. Navigating the treacherous terrain and their inner conflicts, they encounter moments of vulnerability and confrontation. After this intense journey, both find their lives irrevocably changed on new paths.

The script of the English-language film, shot entirely in Iceland, was penned by the helmer himself together with Karolina Lewicka.

The main cast members are Mathilde Warnier and Edward Hayter and the film was shot with a skeleton crew made up of DoP Graeme Dunn, sound recordists Simon Danielson and Asa Kolbrun Asmundsdottir and costume designer Elin Reynisdottir.

“We made the film with a tiny crew. The core group consisted of six people, two actors, me, a DoP, a sound recordist and a guy - Gudmundur Ingi Thorvaldsson - who did everything else. We brought in other people on days when we needed them, so essentially a rotating crew of six,” explains Gustafsson.

Zooming in on the score, he reveals: “Our composer, Michael Brook, is a legend. He scored Sean Penn's movie Into the Wild, as well as The Fighter, Brooklyn [+see also:
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Gustafsson auditioned 2,500 actresses for the role of Naomi over a two-year process. Only a handful were allowed to read the script, which elicited an intense reaction. Describing Anorgasmia, he says it explores a generation struggling with relationships and commitment, largely due to “an over-abundance of choice” and “an invasion of technology” that distorts human connections. The film's two leading characters are shaped by “divorced parents and fractured family patterns”.

Shot as a naturalistic road movie, the production was treated “almost as if it was a documentary.” The small crew lived together on a farm for five weeks, fostering trust and intimacy. Using only available light and a discreet camera, they avoided closing locations or calling for silence on set. The actors, who handled their own costumes, hair, and makeup, drew from personal fears and desires to shape their performances.

Budgeted at €700,000, Anorgasmia is being produced by Lewicka for Iceland’s Artio Films, Jakub Rálek for Czech firm BFilm, and Gustafsson for Canada’s Great Canadian Film Factory, with backing from the Icelandic Film Centre, Telefilm Canada and the Czech Film Center. The team is currently seeking a festival premiere, and Sena is in charge of its Icelandic distribution.