The Icelandic soccer documentary The Home Game won the Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) this year. The organizers introduced this award a decade ago, and it remains the only and main prize of the film festival.
Directed by Smari Gunn and Logi Sigursveinsson, The Home Game narrates the story of Reynir FC, a small soccer club from Hellissandur, an Icelandic fishing village. It shows the club’s preparations to play their first-ever home game on a professional pitch, which they created within the beautiful glaciers. The current chairman of Reynir FC is Tyrfingur Andrésson.
Upon winning the prestigious award, the directors stated they were proud of their achievements. They said, “Being a small film from Iceland, it means so much for us to get this recognition and the opportunity to share the story of these loveable Icelandic villagers, as far and wide as possible.” They further expressed their surprise at the warm welcome they received at the GFF. Also, Gunn and Sigursveinsson did not expect a positive reception from the audience.
The synopsis of The Home Game on IMDb reads, “The Home Game is a feel-good underdog story about an Icelander’s clumsy attempt to complete his father’s failed mission: To finally get their beloved fishing village a home game on the unused football pitch he built 25 years prior.
Which documentaries did The Home Game beat to win the Audience Award?
Besides The Home Game, there were other notable films nominated for the Audience Award this year. The list includes;
- Western The Dead Don’t Hurt, by Viggo Mortensen
- Falling Into Place, by Aylin Tezel
- The Teacher, by Farah Nabulsi
The 2024 Glasgow Film Festival ran from 28 February 2024 to 10 March 2024. It featured films from 44 different countries. This festival first took place in 2005 and is currently considered one of the most prestigious festivals in the UK.
