Jón Bjarki Magnússon won the Manfred Krüger Awards at the 16th biannual German International Ethnographic Film Festival, GIEFF, for excellent camera work in Half Elf. The Awards are named after the estimated ethnographic cameraman, Manfred Krüger, who worked on over 80 films during his legendary career, in many different parts of the world. The jury had this to say about the camerawork in the film:
“In this intimate portrait of a nonagenarian lighthouse keeper in the harsh coastal conditions of Iceland, around the time of his 100th birthday, the camera is never in the wrong place. It is an excellent example of what good and thoroughly thought-out camera work means in the making of a wonderful film. The camera always seems to be in the right place, at the right angle, the right length of shot, with the right framing at the right time, capturing those magical moments, such as when the main protagonist gets carried away in song, standing behind his walking frame, with family members, as well as the audience, fearing that he may stumble. It is a film oozing of storytelling, both filmic and traditional local, with the kind of camera work that fits it perfectly.”
We could not be more happy with such a beautiful recognition! Thank you and thanks for a great and memorable festival.
