Beautiful Beings

Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As the group's behavior escalates towards life-threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?

Crew

Directed by

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Screenplay

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Director of Photography

Sturla Brandth Grovlen
Editor

Andri Steinn Guðjónsson
Music Composer

Kristian Eidnes Andersen
Producer

Anton Máni Svansson
Co-Producer

Lise Orheim Stender, Jesper Morthorst, Linda van der Herberg, Jeroen Beker, Nima Yousefi, Pavel Strnad
Costume Design

Helga Rós V. Hannam
Production Designer

Hulda Helgadóttir
Sound Design

Jan Schermer

About the film

Type

Feature Film
National Premiere Date

April 22, 2022, Háskólabíó, Smárabíó, Laugarásbíó, Borgarbíó
International Premiere Date

February 11, 2022, Berlin International Film Festival
Genre

Drama
Length

123 min.
Language

Icelandic
Original Title

Berdreymi
International Title

Beautiful Beings
Production Year

2022
Production Countries

Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Czech Republic
IMDB

Beautiful Beings
Icelandic Film Centre Grant

Yes
Production Format

Arri Alexa
Aspect Ratio

1.85:1
Color

Yes
Screening format and subtitles

DCP, English subs

Cast

Main Cast

Birgir Dagur Bjarkason, Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson, Snorri Rafn Frímannsson

Company Credits

Production Company

Join Motion Pictures
Co-Production Company

Motor Productions, Hobab, Film i Väst, Bastide Films, Negativ
International sales

New Europe Film Sales

Festivals

2022
Istanbul Film Festival
2022
OFF Camera Film Festival - Award: The FIPRESCI Award
2022
Crossing Europe Film Festival
2022
Pink Apple Film Festival LGBT
2022
Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara - Award: Received an award for best performance
2022
Biografilm Festival - Award: Received the SNCCI Italian Critics Award
2022
Kranj Actors Film Festival - Award: The main cast received the Golden Apple Grand Prix
2022
Transilvania International Film Festival - Award: Guðmundur Arnar received the best director award
2022
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
2022
Taipei International Film Festival - Award: Special Jury Prize
2022
Berlin International Film Festival - Panorama - Award: Europa Cinemas Label prize as Best European film in the Panorama section
2022
Youth Film Festival Sarajevo
2022
Burgas Film Festival - Award: Won Audience Award and Youth Jury Award
2022
NeuchÂtel International Fantastic Film Festival
2022
Motovun Film Festival
2022
TIFF in Bucharest
2022
Calgary International Film Festival
2022
Nashville International Film Festiva
2022
Riga International Film Festival
2022
Macao International Queer Film Festival
2022
Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival - Award: Audience Award 'Falcon'
2022
Cambridge Film Festival
2022
Thessaloniki International Film Festival - Award: Won Audience Award Open Horizons Section Greece
2022
Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival
2022
QUEERSICHT Film Festival
2022
Matera FIlm Festival - Award: Won Best Young Actor Blær Hinriksson
2022
Festiwal Kamera Akcja
2022
Belfast Film Festival
2022
International Film Festival of India Goa
2022
Cinema Arta
2022
Panorama of European Cinema Egypt
2022
Stockholm International Film Festival - Award: Won Best Screenplay
2022
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
2022
Chennai International Film Festival
2022
Sottodiciotto Film festival - Award: Future Generation' prize
2022
La Roche sur Yon FF - Award: Won Grand Prix de Jury International Cine
2022
Valladolid International Film Festival - Award: Won Youth Jury Award