Berdreymi: Icelandic coming-of-age drama about an intense friendship between four boys.
Plot and background
14-year-old Addi (Birgir Dagur Bjarkason) hangs out with his buddies Siggi (Snorri Rafn Frímannsson) and Konni (Viktor Benóný Benediktsson) on the streets of a small coastal town in Iceland. As a newcomer to the group, the shy Balli (Áskell Einar Pálmason) has to put up with a lot, because strict hierarchies prevail in the clique. In their youthful recklessness, the boys compete in tests of courage, have their first experiences with drugs and alcohol and break into the open-air swimming pool at night. But the shared fun can turn into aggression and violence in seconds and at any time, especially with Konni, who is also nicknamed “the animal”. “Beautiful Beings” is dedicated to growing up and the question of what friendship means in a painful and loving way.
“Beautiful Beings” – background, cast, cinema release
In “Beautiful Beings”, Icelandic director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, born in Reykjavik in 1982, tells the story of four young people trying to find their own way in an empathetic way and in breathtaking images. Guðmundsson’s feature film debut “Heartstone” was awarded the Queer Lion in Venice in 2016. “Beautiful Beings” is the second feature film by the Icelandic filmmaker. The young actors Birgir Dagur Bjarkason, Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson and Snorri Rafn Frímannsson play a group of teenagers from broken families who often feel unwanted and out of place, but find support and stability among themselves.
The coming-of-age drama celebrated its world premiere in the Panorama at the Berlinale. Official cinema release in Germany is 10 November 2022.
