Dagur Kari’s Noi the Albino

172 Pages·2010·1.053 MB·English

by  Björn Norðfjörð

Nordic Film Classics
mette hjort and peter schepelern, Series Editors
Nordic Film classics
The Nordic Film Classics series offers in-depth studies of key films by
Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish directors. Written
by emerging as well as established film scholars, and where possible in
conversation with relevant film practitioners, these books help to shed
light on the ways in which the Nordic nations and region have contrib-
uted to the art of film.
Ingmar Bergman’s The Silence: Pictures in the Typewriter,
Writings on the Screen by Maaret Koskinen
Dagur Kári’s Nói the Albino by Björn Norðfjörð
Dagur Kári’s
Nói the Albino

Björn Norðfjörð

university of washington press
Seattle
museum tusculanum press
Copenhagen
this book is made possible by a collaborative grant from
the andrew w. mellon foundation.
This publication is supported by a grant from the Icelandic Film Board.
Copyright © 2010 by the University of Washington Press
Printed in the United States of America
Designed by Thomas Eykemans
18 16 14 12 10 6 5 4 3 2 1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy,
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
Published in the United States by
university of washington press
po Box 50096, Seattle, wa 98145, usa
www.washington.edu/uwpress
Published in Europe by
museum tusculanum press
University of Copenhagen
126 Njalsgade, dk-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
www.mtp.dk
978 87 635 3160 3
library of congress cataloging-in-publication data
Norðfjörð, Björn.
Dagur Kári’s Nói the albino / Björn Norðfjörð.
p. cm. — (Nordic film classics)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-295-99009-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Nói albinio (Motion picture) 2. Dagur Kári, 1973– Interviews. 3. Motion picture
producers and directors—Iceland—Interviews. I. Title. II. Title: Nói the albino.
PN1997.N5255N67 2010
791.43’72—dc22 2010002146
Contents
Introduction 3
1 Icebreaker 7
2 Islands 30
3 Iceland 58
4 Isolation, or the Nausea of Nói 82
In Lieu of a Conclusion 113
Interview with Dagur Kári 116
Credits 137
Notes 139
Bibliography 150
Index 155

Dagur Kári’s Nói the Albino

Introduction
Midway through the film that bears his name, the albino, Nói,
and his girlfriend, Íris, uncover a map of the world behind
closed doors. The two fantasize about an escape from their
small village in the remote Westfjords of Iceland—perhaps Europe’s
least habitable area. It is a clever little thing, this map, as small light-
bulbs can be lit to guide the viewer toward some of the world’s key
sites. To their disappointment, Iceland cannot be lit and even appears
to Nói to be akin to a spit—as if it does not really belong to the map
at all. Íris covers Nói’s eyes and asks him to pick a button to light up
the place to which they will escape. Far away from Iceland, another
small island shines a red light in the darkened room. Hawaii it is, and
the young sweethearts look at each other with mutual understanding,
compassion, and desire. A cut returns the audience to the sublime but
harrowing ice blue scenery of the couple’s habitat.
It is a subdued scene but a central one, bringing together many
tenets of Nói the Albino. It presents a precious moment in the develop-
ment of the couple’s relationship, a moment in which Nói and Íris are
as close as they will ever be before their relationship slowly disinte-
grates—the common separation of teenage lovers made all too perma-
3