A single mother turned border guard and a refugee from Guinea-Bissau form an unlikely bond in this intimate Icelandic drama about two people literally and figuratively trapped on the edge of the world.
[An] assured and moving debut feature… And Breathe Normally is all the more impressive for its refusal to inflate drama into melodrama.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2018
And Breathe Normally 2018
Andið eðlilega
Unfolding amongst the desolate and windswept landscapes of Iceland, this potent social-realist drama is deserving of comparison with the films of Ken Loach and the Dardenne brothers.
Struggling financially, single mother Lara gets a lifeline in the form of a new job training as a border patrol officer. When she spots a suspicious looking passport, her employers are impressed, but the passport’s owner, Adja, a female refugee from Guinea-Bissau, is quickly detained and placed into a local refugee centre. When Lara and her son are evicted from their home, Lara crosses paths with Adja again and the pair discover they have more in common than first meets the eye.
“Guinea-born Belgian actress [Babetida] Sadjo impresses with her dignity and warmth. Meanwhile, petite [Kristín Thóra] Haraldsdóttir displays such patience and love for her son that she keeps viewers rooting for her to overcome her obstacles despite her occasional bad judgment. And young [Patrik Nökkvi] Pétursson is a delight as the least whiny child ever… The turbulent autumn weather and rugged landscapes of Iceland practically become another character.” — Alissa Simon, Variety