Review: Amongst the Birds - Films / Reviews - Iceland

Key Takeaways

• Over 12,000 eider ducks nest annually in East Iceland fjord.
• Couple Óli and Jóhanna grew colony from 1,000 to 6,000 nests.
• Film won Audience Award at Skjaldborg Documentary Festival.
• Directors Kaurismäki, Axelsson, Þórðarson filmed three years for one season.
• Cinematography captures intimate close‑ups of ducks and caretakers.

Pulse Analysis

"Amongst the Birds" offers a rare glimpse into the delicate balance of Iceland’s coastal ecosystems, where over 12,000 eider ducks converge each spring to breed. The documentary follows Óli and Jóhanna, a retired couple who have devoted more than two decades to protecting and expanding the colony, turning a modest settlement of 1,000 nests into a thriving community of 6,000. Their hands‑on approach—crafting bespoke nests from scrap materials and shielding the birds from predators—illustrates how localized stewardship can have outsized ecological impact, a narrative that resonates with global conservation efforts.

The film’s production reflects a meticulous, long‑form storytelling method. Directors Mika Kaurismäki, Ragnar Axelsson, and Ingvar Þórðarson spent three years on location to capture a single breeding season, allowing the audience to experience the rhythm of the birds’ life cycle alongside the human caretakers. Birgit Guðjónsdóttir’s cinematography delivers striking close‑ups that bring the ducks’ textures and behaviors to the fore, while the on‑screen chemistry between Óli, his brother‑in‑law Albert, and Jóhanna adds a warm, comedic layer. The documentary’s premiere at CPH:DOX and subsequent Audience Award at Skjaldborg underscore its appeal to both festival juries and general viewers, highlighting the market appetite for authentic, character‑driven nature stories.

In a broader context, "Amongst the Birds" aligns with a surge in environmentally focused documentaries that blend personal narratives with ecological insight. Iceland’s film industry, bolstered by supportive bodies like the Icelandic Film Centre, is leveraging its dramatic landscapes to produce content that attracts international distribution and tourism. By showcasing a successful, community‑based conservation model, the film not only entertains but also educates, potentially inspiring similar initiatives worldwide and reinforcing Iceland’s position as a hub for compelling, socially relevant cinema.