The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole

The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole – A Bipolar Musical Documentary with Elephants is a full-feature documentary film, internationally premiered at CPH:DOX and in Iceland as the opening film of the Reykjavík International Film Festival – RIFF. The film is directed by Andri Snær Magnason and Anní Ólafsdóttir, produced by Elsku Rut, Ground Control Productions, and Ursus Parvus.

The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole received the EDDA Award for the Best Score and was nominated in four other categories – best directors, best editing, best script and best cinematography. At the Millennium Docs Against Gravity film festival in Poland it was nominated to “Zwierciadlo” Magazine’s Award for the Best Film on Psychology

Part road movie, part musical, part serious inquiry into the caverns of the mind, it is at once an artful, sensitive and amusing examination of mental health, told through an unexpected story of friendship.

The film follows Anna Tara Edwards, an Icelander raised in Nepal, and legendary musician Högni Egilsson, as they journey to Anna’s childhood home in the mountain jungles to explore the afflictions and superpowers that come with bipolar disorder. Delving into their respective pasts through textured archival footage and home videos, the narrative follows their present-day quest to raise awareness about the disease and come to terms with the impact it has had on their own lives.

DIRECTORS: Andri Snær Magnason, Anní Ólafsdóttir
PRODUCERS: Andri Snær Magnason, Sigurður Gísli Pálmason, Halldóra Jóhanna Þorláksdóttir, Hlín Jóhannesdóttir
SCREENWRITERS: Andri Snær Magnason, Anní Ólafsdóttir
CO-PRODUCERS: Högni Egilsson, Anna Tara Edwards, Anní Ólafsdóttir, Eva Lind Höskuldsdóttir
EDITORS: Eva Lind Höskuldsdóttir, Anní Ólafsdóttir, Davíð Alexander Corno
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Anní Ólafsdóttir, Eiríkur Ingi Böðvarsson
MUSIC COMPOSER: Högni Egilsson
SOUND DESIGN: Huldar Freyr Arnarson
CONTACT: Journeyman Pictures https://www.journeyman.tv/

RUNTIME: 78 min
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Iceland
WORLD PREMIERE: 24th September, 2020, Reykjavík International Film Festival – RIFF
LANGUAGES: Icelandic, English
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Elsku Rut, Ground Control Productions, Ursus Parvus

IMDb
Watch The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole on Apple TV

“A fascinating and vulnerable addition to a much-needed discussion.” – T.V, Kvikmyndir.is

“One of our favourite films shown at Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival CPH:DOX … An absolutely beautiful, moving, and musical piece.” – Nordic Watchlist

“Fascinating. I think it’s done the job of highlighting bipolar disorder and raising awareness of health issues and there are ways to deal with it and help.“ – Kvikmyndapod: An Icelandic Cinema Podcast

“A poetic feast for the eye and other senses.” – J.M.E, RÚV

★★★★ ““… oscillates between being subtly humorous and painfully raw.”– B.H., Morgunblaðið

“Tears streamed down my face more than once … exceptionally beautiful, both visually and sonically. I’m grateful to everyone involved for this important work of art, which I hope as many people as possible will see and that it will travel far and wide. Thank you.” – Sigríður Pétursdóttir, film critic

“… one of my favourite documentaries … I first saw this last year in the Copenhagen Film Festival and it really stuck with me. I think the subject matter is so important in our current time and having one of Iceland’s biggest musicians, Högni involved, really adds to the film.”
– Alex, Nordic Watchlist