Ahead of its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Icelandic film When the Light Breaks has been selected by international distributors. The critically acclaimed film had its world premiere at Cannes and is being handled by Paris-based The Party Film Sales.

The film was shot in 16mm format and Elín Hall (“Let Me Fall”) plays Una, whom Rúnarsson previously mentioned in an interview with diversity as “an outsider to the events unfolding around her, although in reality she is at the centre of it”. It is Rúnarsson’s fourth feature film. He had his international breakthrough in 2008 with his Oscar-nominated short film “Two Birds”. He then directed “Volcano”, the entry at the 2011 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, “Sparrows”, the winner of the 2015 San Sebastian, and “Echo”, the winner of the 2019 Valladolid and Lübeck Festivals.

Following its premiere in Cannes and screenings at the Karlovy Vary and Munich FilmFests, The Party Film Sales secured theatrical deals for “When the Light Breaks” in Japan (Bitters End), the UK and Ireland (Modern Films), Germany and Austria (Neue Visionen), Taiwan (Proview Entertainment), Australia and New Zealand (Palace Films), Portugal (Nitrato), Sweden (Njuta), China (Hugoeast), Brazil (Imovision), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Vertigo), India (Bigtree Entertainment) and Ukraine (Kiyvmusicfilm).

Sales to date have been completed in Italy (Movies Inspired), Switzerland (Xenix), Norway (Arthaus), Denmark (Ost for Paradis), Finland (Cinemanse), Hungary (Vertigo), Greece (Cinobo), Israel (New Cinema), Poland (Aurora), Turkey (Bir Film) and the Baltics (Estofilm). The film will be released by Jour2fête in France, Cherry Pickers in the Benelux, Zagreb Film Festival in Croatia and Sam Film in Iceland.

Rúnarsson produced the film together with Heather Millard of Iceland’s Compass Films, in co-production with local label Halibut, Revolver from the Netherlands, Eaux Vives/Jour2Fête from France and MP Film from Croatia.

The Icelandic author said the film was inspired by a personal event. “Ever since I experienced the loss of a friend as a young man, I wanted to process the emotions I felt that day by telling a universal story,” he said. diversity“Another loss in my life reawakened this urge and the action became more concrete.”