First, a little note: The title of the film is not the letter O, but rather a circle. It is inspired by the minimalistic poem Outside the Circle (Utan Hringsings) by the pioneer of Icelandic modernist poetry, Steinn Steinarr (1908-1958), about love from the outside.
Grímur has been boozing away for so many years, it has wreaked havoc on his relationships and body. Today, he decides to attend an important family event sober, but can his willpower measure up to the scourge of alcohol?
The shivering heart of O is the acclaimed Icelandic actor Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson (recognized by Finnish cinemagoers from Summer Book), who viscerally embodies the shame caused by alcoholism with minute expressions and gestures. Even the viewer may find themselves grieving alongside Grímur for the years that alcohol has taken from him. The director explains the color scheme of the film – or lack thereof – by saying: ”The moments in life that are black or white are few. We spend our lives traveling on the spectrum between the two.”
O premiered at the Orizzontti Competition in Venice and has had a triumphant run at international film festivals, also shaking Finnish festivalgoers in Tampere Film Festival enough to win the Audience Prize of the International Competition this spring.
Liina Härkönen