Heartstone

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson directs. Sturla Brandth Grøvlen behind the camera. Kristian Eidnes Andersen scores. Janus Billeskov Jansen cuts. Produced in Denmark, Iceland. Dialogue in Icelandic.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Released 10 years ago.
• 2International production across 2 countries: Denmark, Iceland.
• 3Directed by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, shot by Sturla Brandth Grøvlen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 4Original score by Kristian Eidnes Andersen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 5Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 6Baldur Einarsson and Blær Hinriksson and Diljá Valsdóttir carry the top of the cast.
• 7Marketing tagline: "The summer that will change your life".
• 8IMDB entry: tt4613254 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 9Classified under 8 themes, including "friendship", "iceland", "coming of age", "summer".

The technical file

Cinematography

Sturla Brandth Grøvlen

Original score

Kristian Eidnes Andersen

Editing

Janus Billeskov Jansen

Production design

Hulda Helgadóttir

Runtime

129 min · 2h 9m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Box office

$361,878

Original language

IS

IMDB

Heartstone (2016) ↗

Also by

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

• 
  Hidebound

  2005 · ★ 10.0
• 
  Beautiful Beings

  2022 · ★ 7.0
• 
  Whale Valley

  2013 · ★ 6.8
• 
  Artun

  2014 · ★ 5.9
• 
  Jeffrey & Beth

  2008

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Heartstone - Official Trailer

  Trailer · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Asa_movies2017-04-03
  ★ 8/10

  Am I bad? Should I be sad? I am different and it's really an embarrassment. I feel I try I love and smile My girlfriends are as their mothers My boyfriends are as they fathers I am like our fathers with a combination with our mothers. I feel like I am girl I kiss like I am sensible to man's hiss like a man who likes other men in the way there is something beyond our beautiful faces. These are our beautiful hearts. I tried to be like they are I tried to be like other guys I prayed I learned how to act with a lot of different facts. You can see: I am a bit confused. Born like a boy, now I am like a girl. I love boys I kiss boys and i make up me and my toys. I went so far I have fallen in love with my boyfriend who started to realize how weird am I I started to wonder: who am I? Am I boy? Am I girl? Not for sure. I am confused. I am not like others. Not like my brothers and fathers. I am sad, I am bad, There is no more life for me Heartstone is a very bad burden I have to make an end Goodbye my mother Goodbye my father Goodbye my lovely friend! Written by Asa_movies (Tanja)

  Read full review ↓
• Reno2018-02-04
  ★ 7/10

  A coming-of-age from Iceland. The initial impression was not very good. Made me uneasy to watch. Because there were some inhumane shots. They all looked so real. So I thought I would going to hate this film. But I did not. It was only in the opening, like a small black spot in something beautiful. Soon the scenario had changed. Jumped into tail two friends, their activities. That's understandable to show us their bond and what to expect in the latter parts. This is a children's film, but teenager's. So like at their age, it's desperate to learn about the opposite sex attraction. Most of the time it won't be pleasant. The teens have their own way to explore it. So the film was focused on their take on the sexuality. Come-of-age theme where the majority revolved around friendship. Definitely a good awareness film, but very intentional storytelling. Especially the twist and the conclusion. For me it was intentional, because I've seen plenty of similar films. But I don't think you and others would think that way as well. Kind of easy to guess how it all turns out at the end, but when you see them in pictures, the experience is different. In a small remote town of Iceland, it's about a time for two teen friends to find out their sexuality. Their families have issues, but nothing stopping them to wandering around everyday, hanging out with the girls, doing stuff like anyone of their age would do. When one of their small mischievous events is taken seriously by their parents, the things begin to change forth. They are not same anymore. The long standing friendship is tested now. But how the story ends was conveniently told. -xX] No makeup! We look gay enough already. [Xx- This is a gay themed film, though not right from the beginning or too deeply dived to narrate the tale from that angle. But like usual, it highlighted how still in some places the word gay is still a sin. All you can learn about it from the kid's perspective, how they are sidelined among their ages. You could say that they were yet to learn the meaning of it, but the case is not the same with their elders too. Not focused enough on the adult characters, yet the film reveals their society is not open enough for all kinds. I have seen a lot such awareness film about LGBT, this is another that tells about the Iceland's version of discrimination. Totally respect the film and filmmaking, because it's made with a good intention. Though like I have mentioned, the opening was not pleasant. Opened with a brutal tone which did not stay that way henceforth. Being an animal and a nature lover, I could not stand for it. Other than that, there's no reason to dislike the flick. In some way, that was a step taken in the transformation of the characters. That's what it's all about, the meaning of coming-of-age, is not it! Well, for a such theme, the actors usually are fresh faces. So they all performance so good. It was a directional debut for the filmmaker as well. Awesomely written and made. Won many film festivel awards. I particularly loved the countryside scenic. Just same as what I've seen from the Kiwi films that set in the rural areas. As much as they focused on the story, it had very pleasant backgrounds that synced so beautifully with what it had narrated for us. It had been in my watchlist. We put films into that list when something interesting element triggers. So now I'm happy to scratch it off. Mission accomplished! It surely stood to the expectation and so do I now recommend it for others as well. 7/10

  Read full review ↓
• kinrich302026-08-30
  ★ 1/10

  This was such a disappointing movie, none of the characters were likeable, animal abuse and destructive all around. By the end of the movie, you kind of feel a little bit for Cristian, but his fate is not a happy one. The star was Thor and he was the most annoying character of all.

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  Join Motion Pictures

  IS

• 

  SF Studios

  SE

Key crew

• Production DesignHulda Helgadóttir
• EditorJanus Billeskov Jansen
• EditorAnne Østerud
• ProducerJesper Morthorst
• Associate ProducerEva Sigurðardóttir
• Consulting ProducerHilmar Sigurðsson
• ProducerAnton Máni Svansson
• Executive ProducerLars Bjørn Hansen
• Executive ProducerLars Bredo Rahbek
• ProducerLise Orheim Stender
• Line ProducerSara Nassim
• ProducerGuðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• friendship
• iceland
• coming of age
• summer
• teenage boy
• first love
• lgbt
• lgbt teen

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2017-01-12· Palm Springs International Film Festival

Also known as

International titles

• Heartstone: Corazones de PiedraES
• Coração de PedraBR
• Gençlik Başımda DumanTR