Further Information

Why this matters

My grandfather, Leifur Jónsson, has been travelling the Icelandic wilderness since childhood. Born in 1933, he first started hiking with his parents during the second World War, and hasn’t stopped since.

This project is very personal to me as I grew up traveling around Iceland with grandpa and my family, staying in tents, sometimes even far away from mapped roads. Two times I’ve been along on this yearly glacier measuring expedition to Nauthagi.
During filming we’ll observe grandpa, his son Hemmi and Hemmi’s two friends measure the two separate glacier ends with old and new technology, side by side. Grandpa travels by foot and hammers a new marker in the ground at Nauthagajökull glacier’s end each year and uses measuring tape to log how much it has shrunk. The first marker, placed by Jón Eyþórsson in the 1930s, still stands. The younger guys travel on motorcross bikes while using lasers and GPS to measure Múlajökull, due to a large lagoon that has formed in front of it and sunken the markers there.

What inspired me to make this film is the transcendent silence that envelops anyone who ventures to Nauthagi, giving the film its name. The eternal, but ever changing nature is the perfect setting for this subject.

Grandpa Leifur has endless stories of his travels alongside lifelong friends that give a particular perspective on Iceland’s history. We’ll also hear from his wife Guðrún, my grandmother, of their mountaineering together and her side of the story.

Through a symbolic and meditative filming style we’ll capture characters in action. Observation without being invasive is key to me as I want to let grandpa and his entourage work and communicate naturally in their element. Later in the process we’ll get to know Leifur and others better through in depth interviews.

With your help I can travel with them to the highlands with a small professional filming crew and bring this hidden tradition to audiences worldwide.

Why should we hear Leifur’s story now?

Leifur does not let age stop him. It is most important to capture the trip this year, as it will mark a 40 year anniversary since he started overseeing these expeditions.

As one of the pioneers involved in documenting the Icelandic highlands since 1953 he's been a keen hiker his whole life. A through line in his travels is the like minded friends he’s found along the way and survived life threatening conditions with.

In 1989 they travelled to Grímsvötn to hike across the glacier on skis. In foggy weather they relied only on compasses to guide their way. Due to unknown reasons the compass needles suddenly turned erratically and before they knew it grandpa and his best friend Maggi Hall were in a 300 metre free fall down a mountain side. This unbelievable event never made it on the news, but exists as first hand accounts in books and small articles.

Grandpa Leifur’s years old equipment and surroundings at home show who he is so strongly; being there, it’s as if time passes on another scale, much like in the highlands. There is much of him in me and others in my family. His character; determined and oftentimes blunt, is something I think those who have grown up in Iceland will see themselves in.

Hi there, I’m Katla. The stories I bring to life have a true, but heightened style that permeates all ends of the finished product as I want to let the audience feel as if they’re in each setting themselves. Stories that go untold is something I try to seek out at every turn. This has thus far entailed various films from women’s perspective and older individuals.

I love to listen and sharing what I learn is what drives me on.

I’ve worked as a script reviewer and translator for major Icelandic productions, notably TV series Blackport (2021) from Vesturport Productions. Since graduating from script writing/directing at The Icelandic Film School in 2022 I’ve focused mainly on working as a lighting technician on numerous Icelandic and foreign films, series and advertisements, but also in various other departments.

In 2021 I was part of a judges panel for the emerging talent awards category at Reykjavík International Film Festival and served on the short film selection committee for Reykjavík Feminist Film Festival in 2022. My eye for detail has landed me work as a graphic designer for film festivals and I’ve also made illustrated posters for numerous projects.

This film is very close to my heart and I can’t wait to share my family’s stories and the beauty of the highlands with you.

Sol Berruezo Pichon-Rivière (1996) is an Argentine director and screenwriter based in Iceland with a degree in Film Directing from the Universidad del Cine (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

In 2017, at just 21 years old, she won first prize in the INCAA (National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts of Argentina) "Opera Prima" contest to support the first films by new directors.

Her debut feature premiered at the 2020 Berlinale in the Generation section, where it was awarded the Special Mention of the International Jury. She was also the youngest director at the 70th Berlinale. That same year, her film had its premiere at the San Sebastián Festival, Mar del Plata and 50 other festivals around the world.

At the end of 2020 she obtained the support of the Biennale College Cinema to make her second film: “Our Happiest Days”, which was shot in 2021 and premiered at the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia 2021.

In 2025, she was awarded with the Academy Awards from Iceland "Edda Awards" for her shortfilm "Geltu!".

She’s currently working in her film production company based in Reykjavik, MAGMA Studio.

Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11294374/

www.solberruezo.com

Where the funding goes

The film will be a full feature documentary when completed. This funding will be used to complete our first, and most important segment; the expedition.

We’ll use it to rent equipment for filming during the trip, and to pay a two man crew; cinematographer and sound recordist a wage for their work.

Timeline

End of September: Travel with Leifur and his men to measure the glacier, filming the trip.

October: Apply to work in progress labs and edit expedition footage to make a 20 minute introduction film.

November and December: We film interviews with Leifur and others, plus footage to tell the story.

Be a part of preserving Icelandic history

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