"The Art of Crying" receives Church of Iceland Film Award
by Árni Svanur Daníelsson, Reykjavik

The Art of Crying by the Danish director Peter Schønau Fog received the Church of Iceland Film Award at the Reykjavik International Film Festival. This is the second time this award is given. Karl Sigurbjörnsson, bishop of Iceland, handed over the award to the director who was present at the festival.

The award is given to an excellent film that deals with existensial, ethical or religious questions. Fifteen films in the New Visions category at the festival competed for the award.

The jury motivation states:

    “Laughter and crying juxtapose in a quality film about difficult issues that raises questions concerning parental and societal responsibility. A young boy tells his family's story where violence and abuse lurks within the childhood home. The film deals delicately with issues that often are kept quiet and presents them with respect, understanding and sympathy. The Art of Crying raises awareness of the fragility of life, moves the audience and calls for discussion and responses.”

The Art of Crying also received the Fipresci award at the festival.

The Art of Crying is director Peter Schønau Fog's first feature film. He was born in Denmark in 1971 and graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 2000. He gained some attention for his graduating film, Lille mænsk (2000).

The film tells the story of Allan, an eleven-year-old boy growing up in early 1970s Denmark and life is neither easy nor simple. His big brother has moved out. His father is always crying and regularly threatens to commit suicide. Allan reveres his father and is willing to go to great lengths in order to cheer him up and help out the family. Therefore he can’t understand why his mother isn’t taking the suicide threats seriously or why his big sister is rebelling and can’t seem to stand their father. By presenting his dark subject matter through the eyes of young Allan, director Fog is able to mix together humour, grief, violence and taboos within this dysfunctional family in a notable and memorable film that has won awards at many film festivals and is Denmark's submission for the Academy Awards.

The jury also gave the Serbian film Klopka a special mention:

    The film Klopka raises questions about the value of a human life and about ethical values in general. This is an excellent film to promote discussions on difficult ethical questions.

The jury members were Árni Svanur Daníelsson, rev. Bernharður Guðmundsson and Bjarni Randver Sigurvinsson. Árni Svanur and Bjarni Randver are members of Deus ex cinema.