METALHEAD
2015 | dir: Ragnar Bragason | 100 min
Fueled by a remarkable breakout performance by actress Thora Bjorg Helga, director Ragnar Bragason’s intense drama of loss, faith, redemption, Megadeth and Judas Priest begins with a farming accident in the 1980’s that sends a young girl, Hera, and her parents into a tail-spin of grief over the death of her heavy metal music-obsessed older brother. A decade later and Hera is transformed into a sexy, surly headbanger and DIY musician, dressed in black leather and a Slayer t-shirt, clutching her dead brother’s electric guitar as she howls anthems of rage to a barn full of cows. Seemingly trapped in a haunted landscape of slaughterhouses and barren winter fields, making all the wrong choices in her life – including coming on to the local priest and sleeping with her platonic best friend – Hera slowly, painfully comes to terms with her family’s loss and the sound of her own true voice.
Partly inspired by the Norwegian black metal church burnings in the early 1990’s, METALHEAD features a soundtrack of 1980’s and 1990’s headbanging classics by Riot, Teaze, Savatage, Lizzy Borden and Megadeth. Winner of 8 awards at the 2014 Icelandic Film Awards including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor & Actress, and Original Score.
Rated 89% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes
“A stellar tale of growing up grim…the film deftly marries the essence of the music to a moving coming-of-age framework…so special.”
Michael Nordine- The Village Voice
“it taps into something universal, and very precious, about loss, art and adolescent rebellion.”
Andy Webster- The New York Times
“A powerful portrait of grief never dealt with… An impeccably crafted and beautifully performed film”
Todd Brown- Twitchfilm
“Director Ragnar Bragason does a remarkable job tracing this young woman’s painful journey and rebirth into the person she was always meant to be… And the soundtrack of deep-cut metal classics is beautifully curated.”
Capone- Ain’t It Cool News
IN THEATERS
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Feb 27-Mar 1, 2015 | SIFF Uptown | Seattle, WA | get ’em |
Feb 27-Mar 5, 2015 | Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts | Grand Rapids, MI | get ’em |
Mar 18-Mar 20, 2015 | New Nordic Cinema Series (Scandinavia House) | New York, NY | get ’em | Mar 20, 2015 | The Texas Theater | Oak Cliff, TX | get ’em | Mar 20-April 2, 2015 | Cinema Village | New York City, NY | get ’em | Mar 27-Apr 2, 2015 | Laemmle Noho 7 | Los Angeles, CA | get ’em | Apr 9-12, 2015 | Alhambra Theatre Film festival | Evansville, IN | get ’em | Apr 10-Apr 16, 2015 | Hollywood Theatre | Portland, OR | get ’em | Apr 10-Apr 16, 2015 | Gateway Film Center | Columbus, OH | get ’em | Apr 17-Apr 22, 2015 | Pittsburgh Filmmakers | Pittsburgh, PA | get ’em | Apr 27, 2015 | Jacob Burns Film Center | Pleasantville, NY | get ’em |
May 15-May 21, 2015 | Facets Cinémathèque | Chicago, IL | coming soon |