Woman at War (Kona fer í stríð) (2019)
92%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 29 wins & 22 nominations
Treating its timely themes with a deceptively light touch, Woman at War is easy to enjoy in the moment, yet its impact lingers long after the closing credits roll.
Woman at War is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and want to save the planet all at the same time. With a unique take on environmental activism, this film is a refreshing change from the usual political discourse. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir’s performance as the tough yet vulnerable environmental warrior is a standout, and the film’s quirky, satirical approach to the ecomelodrama genre is thoroughly entertaining. While not all of it works, what does, works wonders. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy this subversive romp that puts a DIY twist on Mission: Impossible riffs and challenges viewers to contemplate the disharmonic contradictions between the call to environmental activism and the pursuit of inner peace.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Ukraine
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 41m
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Language(s):Icelandic, English, Ukrainian, Chinese, Spanish
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Country of origin:France, Iceland, Ukraine
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2019
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Jóhann Sigurðarson, Juan Camillo Roman Estrada, Jörundur Ragnarsson, Vala Kristin Eiriksdottir, Margaryta Hilska, directed by Benedikt Erlingsson, written by Benedikt Erlingsson, Ólafur Egilsson, comedy, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nell Minow, Andrea Gronvall, Linda Marric, Mark Kermode, Tara Brady, Nikki Baughan, Jennifer Merin, MaryAnn Johanson, Leigh Paatsch, Dennis Harvey, Tom Beasley, Matt Cipolla, produced by Benedikt Erlingsson, Carine Leblanc, Marianne Slot, MPAA rating, environmental activism, aluminum industry, Iceland, adoption, timely themes, gentle humor, work-life balance, original language, Icelandic, Magnolia Pictures, Scope (2.35:1)
Worldwide gross: $4,566,406
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,373,627
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,152
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 586,001
US/Canada gross: $847,495
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $997,310
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,191
US/Canada opening weekend: $18,370
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,617
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,491
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 2500000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $2,941,934
Production budget ranking: 1,981
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,584,232
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $847,461
ROI to date (est.): 19%
ROI ranking: 1,297
Jóhann Sigurðarson – Sveinbjörn
Juan Camillo Roman Estrada – Juan Camillo
Jörundur Ragnarsson – Baldvin
Vala Kristin Eiriksdottir – Stefania
Margaryta Hilska – Nika
Director(s)
Benedikt Erlingsson
Writer(s)
Benedikt Erlingsson, Ólafur Egilsson
Producer(s)
Benedikt Erlingsson, Carine Leblanc, Marianne Slot
Film Festivals
Cannes, Venice, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
29 wins & 22 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (120) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (116) | Rotten (4)
It is especially welcome, as political discourse seems irretrievably partisan to see this refreshing take on environmental activism, told with gentle humor and a nuanced take on work-life balance.
October 26, 2021
Nell Minow
AWFJ Women on Film
TOP CRITIC
Strikingly original and immensely entertaining.
March 11, 2020
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Full of heart and soul, Woman. at War is a triumphant and exciting film, and unlike anything you’ve seen before.
May 11, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Linda Marric
HeyUGuys
TOP CRITIC
A subversive romp that splendidly overturns action-movie cliches, putting a DIY twist on Mission: Impossible riffs, presenting its life-or-death struggles in thrillingly offbeat fashion.
May 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A huge showcase for Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, who brings grit, determination, and quiet charisma to every scene. An engaging curiosity and an absolute joy.
May 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
There can be no doubt that Halla is one of the year’s strongest, most inspirational heroes.
May 3, 2019
Nikki Baughan
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Woman at War is a quirky, satirical and complicated ecomelodrama that thoroughly entertains while challenging viewers to contemplate the disharmonic contradictions between the call to environemental activism and the pursuit of inner peace.
October 26, 2021
Jennifer Merin
AWFJ Women on Film
Geirharðsdóttir is simultaneously tough and vulnerable as a smart, methodical environmental warrior…
October 26, 2021
MaryAnn Johanson
AWFJ Women on Film
Not all of it works, but what does, works wonders.
November 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
…scenically striking, and in the end a good combination of adventure, intrigue, and timely political messaging.
October 28, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
This is a rather cold and detached film, unfolding at a very deliberate pace and somewhat lacking a typical forward momentum.
August 15, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Tom Beasley
VultureHound
It all adds up to make for a flawed package but an amiable one, and the overall success goes to show that satire need not be scathing.
July 25, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Matt Cipolla
Film Monthly…
Plot
Halla is a fifty-year-old independent woman. But behind the scenes of a quiet routine, she leads a double life as a passionate environmental activist. Known to others only by her alias “The Woman of the Mountain,” Halla secretly wages a one-woman-war on the local aluminum industry. As Halla’s actions grow bolder, from petty vandalism to outright industrial sabotage, she succeeds in pausing the negotiations between the Icelandic government and the corporation building a new aluminum smelter in the mountains. But right as she begins planning her biggest and boldest operation yet, she receives an unexpected letter that changes everything. Her application to adopt a child has finally been accepted and there is a little girl waiting for her in Ukraine. As Halla prepares to abandon her role as saboteur and savior of the Highlands to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother, she decides to plot one final attack to deal the aluminum industry a crippling blow.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir brings “grit, determination, and quiet charisma to every scene” in Woman at War, according to critic Tara Brady.
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