Ófærð is the latest hit series from controversial Icelandic film production company RVK Studios. Created by the secretive and little known director Baltasar Kormákur, it weaves a story of lust, love, hate, murder, and lies in the remote town of Seyðisfjörður (population 665).
Nestled at the innermost point of a local fjord, Seyðisfjörður has a robust economy founded on the traditional Icelandic industries of fishing and bankruptcy. Like all Nordic peoples, Icelanders are nudists, although this does not feature strongly in the narrative.
If you're familiar with Nordic noir you'll have a good idea of what to expect, except this time it's in Icelandic, Danish, and English.
Icelandic is one of those rare and weird languages that don't sound like the way they're translated. The Germans have described it as the most lyrical of the Nordic languages, while the Danes are fond of saying that it resembles the noise you'd get if a Swede strangled a Norwegian with the entrails of a Finn.
Personally I think Icelandic sounds like someone gargling with a spork.
The series has English subtitles, and although my Icelandic is a bit rusty, I can tell they are reasonably accurate.
As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes apparent that the cast consists of pretty much the entire Icelandic population, so the recaps at the start of each episode are essential for keeping track of what's happening.
The characters are well developed, and their simple names are easily pronounced. Rögnvaldur, Lanhelgisgæslukona, Lanhelgisgæslumaður, and Rannsóknarlögregla will doubtless become household favourites.
If you're a fan of Kristinn Kristjánsson and Baldur T. Hreinsson, you'll be delighted to see they've secured strong roles in this passionate murder-mystery drama. Also keep an eye out for:
* Ólafur Björn Gunnarsson
* Þorgeir Guðmundsson
* Sigurður Skúlason
* Erling Jóhannesson
* Óli Jón Gunnarsson
* Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir
* Rán Ísold Eysteinsdóttir
* Elva María Birgisdóttir
* Katla M. Þorgeirsdóttir
* Lilja Nótt Þórarinsdóttir
I rate Ófærð at 29.97 on the Haglee Scale, which works out as a stunning 9/10 on IMDB.
