Hilmar Oddsson receives lifetime achievement award at Tallinn film festival

Icelandic director Hilmar Oddsson received an award for his contribution and lifetime of work in filmmaking at the opening ceremony of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on Friday, mbl.is reported.

Festival director Tiina Lokk-Tramberg presented the award at the ceremony, held before a large audience at Alexela Concert Hall. She said Oddsson’s films were distinguished by sincere, profound storytelling and offered a personal, distinctive interpretation of Iceland’s landscape, cultural heritage and national emotions.

Lokk-Tramberg also highlighted Oddsson’s role in shaping and strengthening the institutions and infrastructure that support Icelandic filmmaking. She described his contribution to Icelandic and Nordic cinema as extensive and unique.

In his acceptance speech, Oddsson spoke about his connections to the festival and Estonia. He was the first international director to screen a film at the festival, when it was held for the first time in 1996. His film Tears of Stone, about composer Jón Leifs, was shown there.

Twenty-five years later, Oddsson’s Driving Mum had its world premiere at the festival in 2022. The film won the competition’s Best Film award and the Grand Prix.

This year marks the festival’s 30th anniversary. It has grown in scale and importance since its founding and has been classified as an international A-category film festival since 2014.