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COLOGNE, Germany — Iceland has picked Oskar Jonasson’s action thriller “Reykjavik-Rotterdam,” the only film from the territory to qualify this year, as its entry in the 2010 foreign-language Oscar race.
Despite being rocked by the international financing crisis, Iceland still managed to produce a few films this year, but the others — such as Dagur Kari’s “The Good Heart” and Julius Kemp’s popular horror titles “Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre” — had too much English dialogue to qualify. So “Reykjavik-Rotterdam” won by default, and was not voted for, as is usual, by the Icelandic film and TV academy.
The film stars Baltasar Kormakur — known to international audiences as the director of “Jar City” and “White Night Wedding” as a man tempted back into the smuggling business. The violent, funny and action packed feature swept the Icelandic film awards, the EDDAs, winning five trophies.
“Reykjavik-Rotterdam” was produced by Iceland’s Blueeyes Pictures together with Bavaria Productions of Germany. Sweden’s NonStop Entertainment is handling international sales.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will announce the 2010 Best Foreign Language Film nominees Feb. 2, 2010. The 82nd Academy Awards will be held March 7, 2010.
