Falcons (film)

Falcons (Icelandic: Fálkar ), is the seventh film directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson. This film, released in 2002, is mostly in English language.

Plot
It is the story of an ex-convict, Simon (Keith Carradine), who after returning to Iceland where his mother was born, to visit relatives, looks for the loneliest place in the world to commit suicide. In a small village he meets Dúa (Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir), an Icelandic young lady, who he finds to be an interesting, rather strange woman. Dúa has a caged falcon that she hopes to tame, but they get into trouble as it is illegal to possess this kind of animal in captivity.

Simon and Dua form a relationship based on Simon's belief that she is his illegitimate daughter. Surrounded by tension between them, Simon serves as a protective figure to Dúa, who keeps him from committing suicide.

The couple escape to Hamburg, Germany, to start all over again. The protagonists' behaviours are opposite to each other: Simon is down to earth and finds himself awkward by Dúa's eccentric beliefs in astrology, who considers Simon as a typical Scorpio and thus avoids deepening into a more serious relationship, partly because of the feeling of his paternity.

Dúa's falcon, that she nourished and protected when her uncle found it with a broken wing, has a high value to her, as she considers it last remnant of the beloved life in Iceland. The falcon travels with them on their escape and has a high monetary value. Later, as Dúa wasted their money, Simon tries to sell the falcon in order to cover their expenditure, but he is cheated by some crooked Germans and the falcon is stolen.

Finding a gun in a local bar, Simon confronts the men who cheated him, shooting them both and injuring himself in the process. Meanwhile, Dúa finds Simon's tape recorder, discerning he believes her to be his daughter. Simon returns to return Dúa the bird but collapses from his injuries in the street, Dúa reassures him that he was a good man and potential father as he dies. Dúa releases the falcon.

Cast

 * Keith Carradine: Simon
 * Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir: Dúa
 * Ingvar E. Sigurðsson: Jóhann
 * Magnús Ólafsson: Lobbi
 * Margrét Ólafsdóttir: Auntie
 * Friðrik Friðriksson: Young Policeman
 * Axel Prahl: Car Rental Dealer
 * Marisa Calcagno: Sabine
 * Margrét Helga Jóhannsdóttir: Barmaid
 * Ramin Yazdani: Scarface
 * Geo von Krogh: Salvation Army Host
 * Hark Bohm: A Man of the World
 * Ragnheidur Steindórsdóttir: Nurse
 * Guðmundur Ólafsson: Doctor
 * Pétur Ólafsson: Uncle Tóti
 * Theódór Júlíusson: Bus Driver
 * Randver Thorláksson: Customs Officer
 * Zack-Volker Michalowski: Antique Dealer
 * Jóhanna Vigdís Hjaltadóttir: TV Reporter I
 * Ómar Ragnarsson: TV Reporter II
 * Örlygur Kristfinnsson: Gallery Owner
 * Darren Forman: American I
 * Glenn Robert Hodge: American II
 * Rafi Guessous: Doorman
 * Bernd Gajkowski: Lübeck Bartender
 * Frank Wieczorek: Sad Looking Man
 * Werner Karle Jung: Shady Looking Man

Music
The soundtrack was released as a separate CD titled Fálkar. The music composition was mainly by Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and several important artists who set up a proper atmosphere to the film's plot.