When the Light Breaks

• Rúnar Rúnarsson
• 82 min
• Iceland, Netherlands, Croatia, France
• 2024
• Fiction

Over the course of a summer day in Reykjavík, a tragic accident becomes the starting point for a drama about love, grief, and finding strength in life’s most transformative moments.

An accident plunges Iceland into national mourning, and for young art student Una, the fateful day will change her life forever. Carrying a secret she cannot share, Una must process her grief in solitude while her friends find solace in their shared mourning. With a delicate touch for the sweeping forces of young love, Rúnar Rúnarsson crafts a stripped-down yet emotionally captivating drama about friendship and collective healing. Rising star Elín Hall commands every frame with her remarkable presence, while cinematographer Sophia Olsson’s 16-mm portrait of Reykjavík’s shifting light during this tumultuous day is nothing short of masterful.

- Erik Toresson Hellqvist

• Vänskap
• Uppväxt
• Kärlek
• Drama