The Fires

Iceland’s leading volcanologist faces two parallel catastrophes as a volcanic eruption threatens to destroy all of Reykjavik, while a love affair endangers her entire family.

Scientist Anna finds herself working against the tide as she tries to convince her colleagues that the recurring and escalating earthquakes point to an imminent volcanic eruption. Despite repeated warnings, her discoveries are dismissed. At the same time, a charismatic Danish photographer (confidently portrayed by Pilou Asbæk) arrives on the island and throws Anna’s stagnant love life into turmoil. This whistleblower story about a devoted researcher’s fight for the truth has shaken audiences at home, and Ugla Hauksdóttir’s debut has emerged as a box-office success in Iceland.

• Annie Karlsson