Hot Docs – Icelandic film GNARR

Comedian Jon Gnarr is now the Mayor of Reykjavik.  As Iceland faced all-out economic collapse in 2009, popular comedic personality Jón Gnarr conceived the idea of the Best Party.

What began as a satirical statement, attempting to parody both left-wing and right-wing parties, took on a life of its own in the Reykjavik mayoral campaign. The film documents the frantic vigour and absurdity that was Gnarr’s unlikely rise to office.

With no background in politics, he ran on promises of a drug-free parliament by 2020, free towels in all the swimming pools and “all kinds of things for weaklings.” Fed up with the status quo, the mocking mayoral hopeful became a real contender.

Gnarr and the Icelanders who elected him brilliantly expose the hypocrisy and performance of party politics. In a race that rivals the excitement of the Clinton-Obama showdown in the 2008 primary, Gnarr proves that amusement, fascination and provocation are the antidotes to political apathy. – Lynne Crocker

Director:  Gaukar Úlfarsson

SCREENINGS

Sun, May 1 4:15 PM Isabel Bader Theatre
Mon, May 2 9:30 PM TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
Sun, May 8 6:00 PM Cumberland 2