The concept of Iceland being a secret utopia that breeds creativity is not new. On the one hand, Icelanders themselves like to fuel headlines such as “The Biggest Number Of Books Published/Read/Gifted For Christmas, Per Capita.” On the other hand, given the country’s small size, Iceland’s creative output is quite remarkable when you really consider the impressive statistics of its annual cultural events, bands and projects — including world-famous exports and niche grassroots artists — as well as its writers, creators and storytellers.
Is there something about Iceland that nurtures this pervasive creativity, whether on a global or per capita level? Does the stark yet breathtaking nature, dark winters and bright summers correlate with the never-ending stream of films, music and literature produced? French documentary filmmakers Arthur Shelton and Nancy Tixier explore this intriguing phenomenon in Their Icelands ( Leurs Islandes ). “Nancy and I wanted to question the arts or the cultural practices in Iceland, compared to what we know in France,” says co-director Arthur as he joins me on a call from France. “We were very attracted to the beauty and the mystery of this country.
There are so many artists, so many people writing books, so many people interested in music and many other forms of art. We wanted to know why.” The duo has been collaborating on short films and music videos for at least 15 years and had an idea to dive deeper into outlining the source .
