Synopsis

Beyond Icebergland intends to immerse us into a poetic and at the same time metaphysical elsewhere. The voyage starts from the very first seconds of the film, under the spell of an enchanting and irresistible soundtrack, taking us on a gradual discovery of a parallel world wreathed by a dim-coloured aureole, mysterious dark spots and nuclear dazzles. The spectator will, no doubt, find it difficult to assess the degree of reality of the locations, objects and events he will observe on screen. The historical context, however, is exact (the Cold War, conquest of space), the protagonists are identifiable (a woman, a man and a child) and what is at stake is clearly shown: these three protagonists seem to have been assigned to reside in a couple of rooms in a tower in the midst of a huge city. And yet, as the aural and visual layers tangle up, they plunge the spectator into some sort of waking dream, a stupor which makes him rapidly slacken the rational reins. In other words, it is an invitation to lose your way, to be distracted, or maybe even be drowned.

Olivier Smolders

Technical data

Supported by ‘Brouillon d’un rêve’ – SCAM, Atelier de Production GSARA et Centre de l'Audiovisuel et du Cinéma de la Fédération Bruxelles-Wallonie, Wallonie Bruxelles International