When the light breaks on a long summer’s day in Iceland, from one sunset to another, Una, a young art student encounters love, friendship, sorrow and beauty.
The Garden Cinema View:
A brief encounter with young grief, When the Light Breaks presents the small moments that follow in the immediate wake of tragedy. Running a touch beyond 70 minutes, Rúnar Rúnarsson’s film nevertheless achieves depth and catharsis – aided in this endeavour by naturalistic performances from his believable cast. Most impressive is Sophia Olsson’s 16mm cinematography. Beyond some bravura, but unintrusive, shots, Olsson captures the grief of the characters with empathy, and the horizons of Iceland in stark beauty.
