The sophomore film by Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson, Woman at War, will open the 9th Odesa International Film Festival on 13 July. The film is co-produced and shot in France, Iceland, and Ukraine and was supported by the Ukrainian State Film Agency. Dealing with the issues of the environmental degradation, the film is following a woman who goes against her community and decides to embark on a mission to protect the nature and preserve the Icelandic hills.

The titular Woman at War is fifty-year-old Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir) also known as “the Highlander”, who is fighting against the local industry of aluminum. However, when she is planning her biggest and most daring operation, she receives an unexpected letter that changes everything. Her application form for adopting a child has finally been approved, and a little girl from Ukraine is waiting for her. Since Halla is preparing to leave her role as a saboteur and highland defender, in order to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother, she decides to make one final attack and land a devastating blow to the aluminum industry.

The world premiere of Woman at War was in May, at the 57th International Critics' Week (Semaine de la Critique) of the 71st Cannes Film Festival where it also received the SACD award that is annually given by the French Society of Dramatic Actors and Composers

Benedikt Erlingsson is one of the most successful theatre directors in Iceland, has been repeatedly awarded for his works as a director, scriptwriter, and actor. His feature directorial debut Of Horses and Men (2013) has received over twenty awards around the world, including Best New Director in San Sebastian, Best Director in Tokyo, the Main Prize of the Jury at the Les Arcs European Film Festival, six Edda awards (Icelandic Oscars) and a prestigious North Council film awards. The OIFF audience had the opportunity to watch this film by the Icelandic director in 2014 in the section “Festival of Festivals”.

We remind you that recently the 9th Odesa International Film Festival presented the National and International competition programs.