---
title: "Godland"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/godland"
fi1m_id: "godland"
imdb_id: "tt19623228"
tmdb_id: 960206
wikidata_id: "Q111667985"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-10"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:08.832129+00:00"
region: "CL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Godland (2022)

Directed by Hlynur Pálmason · 2h 23m · Drama

## Identity

Godland

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/godland
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** godland
- **IMDb ID:** tt19623228
- **TMDB ID:** 960206
- **Wikidata ID:** Q111667985
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19623228/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/960206, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111667985

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 80 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* A priest walks across Iceland to save it; Iceland is not asked and does not agree

> Hlynur Pálmason’s film about a Danish priest crossing Iceland to build a church is severe, patient and, to our surprise, often funny. Maria von Hausswolff’s square-framed photography does most of the talking, and at 143 minutes the film could have talked a little less.

## Synopsis

Denmark, in the second half of the nineteenth century. Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove), a young Lutheran priest, is sent by his superior Vincent (Waage Sandø) to Iceland, then a Danish possession, to build a church in a remote settlement and photograph the people he finds there. He insists on landing early and crossing the island on horseback rather than sailing round, so that he can photograph the country on the way. With him go a translator (Hilmar Guðjónsson) and a guide, Ragnar (Ingvar E. Sigurðsson), who speaks no Danish and has little use for a priest. At the far end wait Carl (Jacob Lohmann), a Danish farmer, and his daughters Anna (Vic Carmen Sonne) and Ida (Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir). Hlynur Pálmason writes and directs, in Danish and Icelandic.

## Review

Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) is a young Danish priest with a mission and a camera. Vincent (Waage Sandø), the superior who sends him, tells him to sail round to a settlement on Iceland’s far coast, build a church before winter and photograph the people. Lucas decides instead to land on the near side and cross the island on horseback, to photograph it on the way. Everyone he meets thinks this is foolish, and they are right. Hlynur Pálmason’s film is a fine one and a long one, and we recommend it with the plain warning that it moves at the pace of a loaded horse.

Maria von Hausswolff shoots on 35mm in the near-square Academy ratio, and the shape of the frame does much of the arguing. A widescreen Iceland would have looked like a holiday. This one looks like a wall: rock, moss, cloud and river stacked one on top of the other, and the men crossing the bottom of it take up almost nothing. Julius Krebs Damsbo cuts without hurry and with dry timing: a wide shot of the party picking across a valley, held until it starts to feel like a painting, then the same party in the next shot, not visibly further along.

Lucas’s photographs are a separate matter. The camera he has carried over the sea is heavy, the plates take minutes to expose, and Pálmason stages each one as a small ceremony, the subject holding still while the priest fusses under his cloth. The film’s own look is modelled on photographs of this kind. Ragnar (Ingvar E. Sigurðsson), the Icelandic guide, submits to the lens the way a horse submits to a bridle.

Ragnar is the best thing in the film. He speaks no Danish, Lucas speaks no Icelandic, and a translator (Hilmar Guðjónsson) stands between them tidying up what each has said. Sigurðsson plays him as a man who made up his mind about the priest in the first ten minutes and sees no reason to revisit it. We laughed more than we expected, mostly at him, because he has a gift for doing exactly what Lucas has asked in the way least likely to please him. Hove lets Lucas thin out: the collar goes grey, the cheeks go hollow, and the certainty stays put long after the body has given up on it.

The scene that frightened us is a river crossing. The water is brown and fast and up to the horses’ chests, the camera sits down near the surface, and there is no music, only water and breathing and tack creaking. We were sure someone would go under. Elsewhere Pálmason leaves his camera on a dead horse and lets the seasons pass over it in a minute. It is the bleakest image in the film, and we found it oddly steadying. The country takes everything back and is in no hurry.

The second half reaches the settlement, where Carl (Jacob Lohmann), a Danish farmer, lives with his daughters Anna (Vic Carmen Sonne) and Ida (Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir). Frosti Fridriksson’s production design gives Carl a low turf-roofed house and, going up plank by plank beside it, a timber church that plainly belongs to another country. Nina Grønlund dresses the settlers in oiled wool and the priest in black cloth that the weather steadily unpicks. Alex Zhang Hungtai’s score is a handful of long, low tones that arrive rarely enough to count as events. Sonne’s Anna is watchful and unimpressed, the only person who treats Lucas as neither a nuisance nor a superior. What follows between priest, guide and family takes turns we will not describe.

We would cut ten minutes. A wedding in the settlement, with its accordion and dancing, runs on past the point where it has told us what it needs to, and a few of the second-half landscapes are there for their own sake. The story, once its pieces are in place, goes more or less where you think it will. It matters less than it might, because the film is not asking whether Lucas will fail but how long he can go on believing he is the hero of a place that has not noticed him.

Films about men who walk into a wilderness and come apart usually give the wilderness at least one shot as an ally. Pálmason never does. See this on the biggest screen you can find, with your phone in another room. It asks for two hours and twenty-three minutes of your patience and pays most of them back.

*Fi1m score 84, published 10 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics agree on where Godland’s strength lies: the landscape photography. Nearly every review singles out the way Hlynur Pálmason’s film renders 19th-century Iceland, with the Academy ratio and the period-photograph look mentioned again and again, and several treat the country itself as the real antagonist. The priest’s slow undoing, from arrogance into illness and madness, is the other point of praise, along with the lead performance and a streak of dry humour that a few reviewers did not expect from something this stern.

Reservations are few and cluster around pace: several describe it as slow and deliberate, Screen Daily finds it slightly overlong, and RogerEbert.com calls it uneven. The one mixed notice, from Time Out, admires the visuals but suspects the languid pacing will test some viewers. The spread is otherwise narrow, with most reviews landing between four stars and outright acclaim, and no publication dismisses it.

## Straight answers

**Is Godland worth watching?**

*Godland* is worth watching for anyone with the patience for a slow, severe drama about a Danish priest crossing Iceland on horseback, and we scored it 84. Maria von Hausswolff's near-square 35mm photography and Ingvar E. Sigurðsson's dry, immovable guide are the reasons to see it. At 143 minutes it is ten minutes too long, and it moves at the pace of a loaded horse.

**How long is Godland, and what is it rated?**

*Godland* runs 2h 23m. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Godland in Chile?**

*Godland* is not on any streaming or rental service in Chile at the moment. It is available in 9 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Godland, and is it suitable for children?**

*Godland* is a 12A in the UK and is not made for children, though there is little in it that would alarm one. What frightened us was a river crossing, shot low to the water with no music, and a dead horse left to the seasons. It is bleak and slow rather than violent, and young viewers are more likely to be bored than upset.

**How does Godland compare to Aguirre, the Wrath of God?**

*Godland* and [*Aguirre, the Wrath of God*](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god) both follow a European with a plan into a landscape that has no interest in it, and in each the land wins. Herzog's film is the wilder and more frightening of the two, driven by Klaus Kinski's performance; Pálmason's is quieter, funnier and more patient, with better-drawn supporting characters. Choose *Aguirre* for menace and *Godland* for stillness.

**What should I watch after Godland?**

After *Godland*, try [*Aguirre, the Wrath of God*](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god) (1972, Fi1m 91): Another European with a plan and a river, and the jungle keeps the plan. Then [*Meek's Cutoff*](https://film.one/film/meeks-cutoff) (2010, Fi1m 82): Settlers, a guide nobody trusts, and a landscape that will not be hurried; and [*The Ascent*](https://film.one/film/the-ascent) (1977, Fi1m 88): Two Soviet partisans in the snow; belief tested to breaking, shot in hard black and white.

### Reviews we read (23)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (90/100, inferred): The bleak and beautiful drama is a stunning epic of a 19th-century Danish priest on an arduous, misguided journey across Iceland, undone by arrogance and spiritual hubris. It excels as a withering chronicle of colonialism and man's confrontation with nature, elevated by magisterial cinematography. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-02-09/review-godland-iceland-drama)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (Critics Pick): The visually striking and emotionally austere film sees a Danish priest's faith tested by Iceland's unforgiving landscape and colonial history, evoking an Arctic 'There Will Be Blood.' It offers rich material rendered with unique pacing and attention to detail. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/godland-review-vanskabte-land-volada-land-1235274746/)
- **Empire**, Pamela Hutchinson (80/100, inferred): An idealistic Danish priest on a mission in remote Iceland gradually disintegrates amid harsh conditions and local hostility. The critic praises the austere, rigorous direction, vintage photographic style, and visceral lead performance. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/godland/)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights how the film renders Iceland's stark landscape and climate so vividly that viewers feel immersed without effects. It singles out the double-edged 'terrible and beautiful' quality of the country and the indelible images. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/b533ffdd-fed5-432b-8dfa-2b548f7cfdb5)
- **Little White Lies**, Josh Slater-Williams (4/4/4): The review calls it a darkly comic epic that is much funnier than expected amid the harshness, delivering another elliptical and elemental treat from a major European filmmaker. It highlights the cultural clash and the priest’s crisis of faith in the second half. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/godland)
- **Radio Times**, James Mottram (4/5): The review describes a stern, rigorous arthouse drama requiring patience for its deliberate pace, but rewarding with beauty amid the bleakness. It singles out the stormy landscape shots and the tale of cultural opposites clashing. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-w5b0ez/godland/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (80/100, inferred): This sly, brutal drama follows a Danish priest gradually undone by Iceland's harsh world and his own vainglorious ego as he attempts to establish a church. The rough beauty of the landscape is central to the film's appeal and ideas about faith and struggle. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/movies/godland-review.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Simon Abrams (70/100, inferred): The film is an uneven but compelling slow-burn about two men who need but cannot trust each other amid colonial tensions in a remote Icelandic settlement. It comes to life in its characters' struggles to retain humanity, aided by stunning cinematography of the locations. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/godland-movie-review-2023)
- **Time Out**, Whelan Barzey (3/5): The critic finds the film an immersive winter wonderland with striking, otherworldly visuals that capture Mother Nature’s power, but notes the languid pacing may test some viewers. It singles out the masterful cinematography of the vast Icelandic landscape. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/godland-2023)
- **Film Comment**, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer: The critic praises Hlynur Pálmason’s film for its astute examination of the failure of colonial projects involving self-absorbed outsiders. It singles out the exquisite portrait of desolation created through snapshots of a missionary’s trek and the clinical cinematography. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-comment-recommends-godland/)
- **IndieWire**, Carlos Aguilar: The critic hails it as one of the year’s best films for its arrestingly beautiful journey. They single out the mapping of a priest’s mental and physical decay in a remote Icelandic setting. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/godland-review-1234806310/)
- **Screen Daily**: The critic calls it an accomplished, ambitious work with a Herzogian fascination for vast landscapes, hubris and madness, though slightly overlong. It singles out the battle of wills between the priest and his guide, and the land itself as antagonist. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/godland-cannes-review/5171174.article)
- **Sight and Sound**: The critic hails the film as a breathtaking portrait of blind faith and evangelism in remote Iceland, full of extraordinary craft and power. It singles out the stunning landscape photography inspired by period images and the flawless performances for particular praise. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/godland-finds-nothing-beauty-young-priests-mission-far-side-iceland)
- **Slant Magazine**, Carson Lund: The critic praises the film’s formal acumen and knockout imagery that redirect familiar scenarios. They single out the hyper-detailed sound design and elemental landscape immersion as counterpoints to human folly. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/godland-review-hlynur-palmason/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The critic praises the film's transformation of harshness into beauty and terror in its epic study of a Danish priest's mission to build a church in 19th-century Iceland. They single out the superb compositional sense, archaeological sense of time, and the stunning landscape as creating something mysterious and sad. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/apr/05/godland-review-hlynur-palmason)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic calls it a striking elemental epic of grim majesty that exerts a powerful hold. They single out its austere yet transfixing drama with unpredictable moments and sneaky humor amid themes of fragile faith against nature. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/godland-cannes-2022-1235155336/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): The review describes a spectacular epic about the limits of religion against nature's savagery, with stunning Academy-ratio photography full of natural detail. It singles out the devastating ending and the performances amid hardship, injury and madness. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/godland-film-review-828r5flmf)
- **Eye for Film**, Dora Leu (90/100, inferred): The critic finds Godland a monumental, timeless work of pure cinema with an untranslatable quality. They single out its precise, slow storytelling of doubt-stricken faith and its sublime, awe-inspiring 35mm landscapes that evoke Romanticism and replace God with nature. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/godland-2022-film-review-by-dora-leu)
- **Collider**, Craig Jones (85/100, inferred): The critic calls Godland one of the finest and most visually sumptuous dramas of recent times, highlighting its magisterial visuals and cinematography that underscore themes of moral obligation and isolation. [Read](https://collider.com/godland-movie/)
- **The Wrap** (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a masterful, meditative epic about a colonizing Danish priest's turbulent journey into Iceland's harsh beauty, praising its visually stunning examination of humanity versus nature and the director's ambitious storytelling. It singles out the majestic cinematography and the primal effects of the landscape on the characters. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/godland-review-iceland/)
- **The Playlist**, Elena Lazic (B+): The critic praises the film's hypnotic, spiritual slow-cinema approach that richly textures long takes of Icelandic landscapes. They single out its formal daring, including the 4:3 aspect ratio and extended moments of stillness during photography scenes, which reward patient viewing despite a somewhat predictable story. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/godland-review-hlynur-palmasons-hypnotic-spiritual-slow-cinema-look-at-19th-century-iceland-cannes-20220525/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Jo-Ann Titmarsh (4/5): The critic calls it an impressive, bleak and beautiful saga about a priest's failed mission in a hostile land. They single out the fine lead performances, beautiful cinematography capturing Iceland's nature, and intelligent storytelling. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/godland-review/)
- **Deadline**, Stephanie Bunbury (70/100, inferred): The critic describes a slow-moving but visually striking film centered on a Danish priest's arduous journey across Iceland's unforgiving landscape to establish a church. It highlights the director's distinctive use of the natural environment and Academy ratio to create patterns and portraits that underscore themes of isolation, madness, and human-nature conflict. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/05/godland-film-review-cannes-1235034530/)

## Details

- **Director:** Hlynur Pálmason
- **Director:** Hlynur Pálmason
- **Writer:** Hlynur Pálmason
- **Cinematography:** Maria von Hausswolff
- **Editor:** Julius Krebs Damsbo
- **Music:** Dirty Beaches
- **Production design:** Frosti Fridriksson
- **Costume design:** Nina Grønlund
- **Producer:** Katrin Pors, Anton Máni Svansson, Mikkel Jersin
- **Cast:** Elliott Crosset Hove as Lucas; Vic Carmen Sonne as Anna; Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson as Ragnar; Jacob Lohmann as Carl; Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir as Ida; Waage Sandø as Vincent; Hilmar Guðjónsson as Translator; Gunnar Bragi Þorsteinsson as Gunnar
- **Runtime:** 2h 23m
- **First release (France):** 24 May 2022
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Budget:** $5 million
- **Box office:** $2 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2V8KnMeSq4

## Where to watch in Chile

Not streaming, renting or buying in Chile at the last check.

Also available in: AU, BE, ES, FR, GB, IT, NL, PT, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- European Film Award for Best Actor 2022: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated)
- Gold Hugo 2022: Gold Hugo (won)
- Nordic Council Film Prize 2022: Nordic Council Film Prize (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Aguirre, the Wrath of God* (1972), Fi1m 91: Another European with a plan and a river, and the jungle keeps the plan. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god.md)
- *Meek's Cutoff* (2010), Fi1m 82: Settlers, a guide nobody trusts, and a landscape that will not be hurried. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/meeks-cutoff.md)
- *Black Robe* (1991): A Jesuit in seventeenth-century Canada learns his faith travels worse than he does.
- *The Ascent* (1977), Fi1m 88: Two Soviet partisans in the snow; belief tested to breaking, shot in hard black and white. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ascent.md)
- *A White, White Day* (2019): Pálmason’s previous film: a grieving Icelandic policeman, the same patience, a smaller frame.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/godland