195. The County (Héraðið); movie review

THE COUNTY (HÉRAÐIÐ)
Cert 12A
92 mins
BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate threat

How many of us have the guts to respond with positive action when we become aware of injustice in society?
Unfortunately, few.
Most people would rather keep their heads down than face the repercussions of public confrontation.
I am proud that I had the opportunity when I was a newspaper executive and we had to resource to uncover scandals.
Thankfully, there are heroes who buck the trend such as Inga (Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir), the central character in Grímur Hákonarson's The County.
Inga and her husband (Hinrik Ólafsson) live frugally on a farm which is threatened with bankruptcy because it is losing so much money.
And then, out of the blue, tragedy strikes and she is left to fend for herself, making discoveries about her man and the all-powerful local farming co-operative.
Inga tries to coax other farmers to join her in rising up against the co-op’s corruption but encounters great resistance, forcing her to confront the community’s dependence and loyalty to this single, dominant enterprise.
Hákonarson matches the desolate beauty of the remote Icelandic landscape to Inga's determination for the fight despite the bleakness of her plight.
There is machoism at play here as well as protecting self-interest with Sigurður Sigurjónsson playing the local politician with most to lose.
I have never been to Iceland but, having worked in the regional press in the UK for more than 30 years, I have closely observed local politics here.
George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 have also had a big impact on me.
That is why I recognised so vividly the actions of individuals and collectives during The County. Fortunately, the good news is that where there is a will, there is a way.


Reasons to watch: A quietly heroic story
Reasons to avoid: Not big on action

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? There are just under 600 dairy farmers in Iceland – 42% of them are using robots to milk 26,000 dairy cows.  The majority of dairy farmers are based in the south of the island and more than 90% of farmers supply Reykjavik-based MS Dairies.

The final word. Grímur Hákonarson: "I think that my film is about Icelandic society in general. We are small, so we tend to be very monopolistic. There are few people who control things and the rest is just being exploited."

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