The Icelandic capital, Reykjavik has been constantly gaining popularity as a destination for years; and one of the most enduring reasons has been the city’s non-stop festivals and celebrations.
Right now the city is preparing for two of its biggest festivals: Iceland Airwaves and the Reykjavik International Film Festival. The festival season might be drawing to a close in the UK, but it’s only just begun in the hip Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.
The Reykjavik International Film Festival is now in its fifth year and will run from 25 September to 5 October. More than 100 films will be screened during the 11-day cinematic celebration, which culminates in a ‘New Visions’ competition that gives unknown filmmakers the chance to shine.
Reykjavik’s nightlife, shopping, dining and culture are legendary and the city is also a great base from which to explore the country’s thermal pools, mountains, glaciers and, of course, the famous Blue Lagoon. But over recent years, the city has been gaining a reputation for film, art and music too.
In previous runs, Reykjavik International Film Festival has attracted crowds of more than 20,000 and has been attended by big-name filmmakers including Peter Greenaway (‘The Draughtsman’s Contract’, 1982 and ‘The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover’, 1989), Atom Egoyan (‘Where the Truth Lies’, 2005), Aki Kaurismaki (‘The Man without a Past’, 2002) and Guy Maddin (‘Archangel’, 1990).
To get to the festival, Iceland’s low cost airline, Iceland Express, is offering cheap flights to Iceland from GBP 69 each way (including taxes and charges). The airline flies from 14 European cities, including every day from London Stansted. More information is available at www.icelandexpress.com