Icelandic Film Centre
Íslenska

Black Peak: A War Story

In the Fossvogur Military Cemetery in Reykjavik Iceland there are 6 gravestones with the names of the crew of a Wellington bomber that in 1941 crashed into Svartahnjúk (Black Peak) mountain in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland.
But the rescue team only found 4 bodies.

The documentary Black Peak - a war story, tells us how the Second World War collided with the peaceful countryside in Eyrarsveit county and how the legend of the crew and the airplane have lived on for more than 70 years.

In the remote Eyrarsveit County in Snæfellsnes peninsula, the old time roads were bad, paths and gravel roads connected the farms. The phone was an unfamiliar tool and radio was in its infancy. On Sundays, local people attended church, and the farmers discussed prospects and exchanged news on what was considered newsworthy beyond the daily routine.

In the film, we interview old people from Eyrarsveit County who witnessed the plane crash and the search. We meet some of the English RAF members who served in the 221st Sqd. in Iceland. We film as the Mountain Rescue team from Grundarfjordur climb into Hrafnagil to look for the remains of the missing crewmembers.

World War II changed everything; suddenly Iceland was flooded with foreign soldiers bringing their weapons and vehicles. And Eyrarsveit County was the scene of events that still live in the memory of the people.

Crew

About the film

  • Type
    Documentary
  • Length
    57 min.
  • Language
    Icelandic, English
  • Original Title
    Svartihnjúkur: Stríðssaga úr Eyrarsveit
  • International Title
    Black Peak: A War Story
  • Production Year
    2015
  • Production Countries
    Iceland
  • Website
  • Icelandic Film Centre Grant
    Yes
  • Production Format
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio
    16:9
  • Color
    Yes
  • Sound
    Stereo
  • Screening format and subtitles
    DCP, Blu-ray

Company Credits

Festivals

  • 2015
    International Historical and Military Film Festival

Trailer

Trailer