You may think you’ve seen and heard it all, but the Nordic film industry continues to surprise. For this month’s column, we’re focusing on what is, at least by Nordic standards, a rather unusual film.

Released in Denmark this month is something as unusual as a Faroese-Icelandic vampire film. The film bears an English title No Rest for the Wicked, a well-known international catchphrase, and comes as the second feature film from Danish director Kasper Kalle following his 2018 period drama Christian IV.

The film is set in the Faroe Islands in 1862, and the plot is built upon the forbidden love between a young fisherman and a foreign whaler, with a vampire twist thrown into it. Filmed on location in the Faroe Islands, it features a Nordic A-list cast headed up by Danish actor Pilou Asbæk and the Icelandic actor Johannes Haukur Johannesson.

Haukur Johannesson is a multi-talented actor who has mastered four languages. In addition to his Icelandic mother tongue, plus Danish and English, he also speaks Faroese fluently, which was may well have been key in him landing this role. He has appeared in top Nordic as well as international productions, from Succession to Vikings: Valhalla.

No Rest for the Wicked explores a diverse variety of themes, including LGBT issues, the pressures of faith, family and community. It has already picked up a couple of awards: the Cheval Noir Award for Best Directing and the Outstanding Performance Award given to Kalle and Asbæk, respectively.

The stylistic film blends its reworking of vampire mythology through a queer lens combined with gothic romance and elements of folk horror.

As is usual with Nordic productions, it is a result of cross-country collaboration efforts. No Rest for the Wicked is produced by Sweden’s SF Studios and received support from the Danish Film Institute, the Faroese Film Institute, the Faroese Ministry of Culture, the Nordic Film & TV Fund, Eurimages, Betri-Stuðul, and Creative Europe MEDIA.

Scandinavian film and TV: March 2024

Anders Lorenzen is a Danish blogger and film and TV enthusiast living in London.

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