In the wake of Egill

The life of Egill Skallagrymsson, the poet and warrior, is a very important part of Icelandic culture. Áron Gauder, who became famous with The District, has undertaken to adapt his story in a special way.

Egill was the child of an eventful historical period, he fought many times during his varied life hit by adversity, and is said to be the first surrealist poet. His and his people’s story takes place at a time, when one of his enemies – and he had many – Eric the Bloodhatchet captured him and he had to make a decision during a night whether to be executed or to write an eulogy.

The relationship between the Scandinavian hatchet- and the Japanese swordsmen is obvious not only in terms of their skills of using weapons but also of the susceptibility to bloodshed and tiny vibrations of their souls at the same time in both cultures. This duality inspired the scriptwriter-director.

Hope the Gulf Stream will keep away from me…

Egill will be realized in the framework of international co-production, and the creators would like to show it to an international audience. Besides the Hungarian dubbed version, the English version is being made, and maybe an Icelandic version will also be made. “In case of animation it is not very difficult to change the moving of lips technically.” Whether the most prominent figure of the Icelandic culture will speak in his own language, depends first of all on the reception of the special adaptation of the local literature and mythology’s hero by the Icelandic audience.

To raise money to cover the costs of the film, the negotiations are still in process. The producers go to Finland next time. An animator from Iceland has already offered his assistance to the team, and the Hungarian ambassador of Iceland intends to use his connections and knowledge in obtaining traditional music.

As for the visuals, the pictures of the trailer and the scene will be modified. The sequences were compiled by the means also used in The District. Though we may expect computer animation, the animators are working not only in virtual space. Gauder and his team would like to move puppets as well with the help of computers and animation programs.

... or else even this can happen.

The treatment is being made together with Géza Bereményi at the moment. Previously he wrote a play on Scandinavian subject, The Knight of The Icebergs. The negotiations are still going on to find co-producers and money to cover the expenses. According to the plans the shooting of the animation film adapting the most important treasure of Icelandic culture, which is a compulsory reading at schools there, will begin in January, and will be shown at cinemas at the beginning of 2009.

Previews and information at: http://cine.hu/egill/site/

Scandinavian melancholy