The Love That Remains

The end of a marriage brings major tectonic shifts in the lives of everyone it affects. In that respect, things are no different for the family portrayed in Hlynur Pálmason’s fourth feature. Yet however difficult this process is for Magnús (Sverrir Gudnason), a fisherman living in the southeast of Iceland, and Anna (Saga Garðarsdóttir), a visual artist, the film proceeds in some very unexpected directions. The result is a rarity among screen depictions of marital breakdown and family transition, swapping scenes of emotional histrionics and angry recriminations in favour of moments of gentle melancholy, wry humour, and even surrealist whimsy.

The fact that Magnús and Anna’s three children are played by Pálmason’s own is just one of the many indications of the work’s autobiographical nature. The easy naturalism of the youngsters’ performances contributes to the film’s casual, spontaneous feel. Indeed, The Love That Remains’ sense of lightness may surprise viewers given both the gravity of the subject matter and the more sombre nature of Pálmason’s previous features, all three of which screened at the Festival. That said, the knack that the director displayed for capturing Icelandic land- and seascapes in all their grandeur in his historical drama Godland (TIFF ’22) is still very evident here. Likewise, his skills at spotlighting the smallest nuances of his characters’ behaviours and interactions remain remarkable.

While portraying a very rocky time of change for Magnús and Anna, the film is nevertheless a confident demonstration of the inventiveness, intelligence, and sensitivity that make Pálmason one of Europe’s finest contemporary filmmakers.

JASON ANDERSON

Content advisory: coarse language, accident trauma, sexually suggestive scenes