The Love That Remains (15)

(Subtitled)

Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Palmason offers a quietly absorbing look at family life in transition, blending everyday moments with striking, sometimes surreal imagery.

Moving through the changing seasons, the film follows a separating couple and their children as they adjust to a new way of living together while slowly drifting apart.

Magnus (Sverrir Gudnason) and Anna (Saga Garðarsdóttir) are ending their relationship but remain closely involved in raising their three children. Teenager Ida (Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir) and younger twins Grímur and Þorgils continue their routines of caring for animals, riding horses and exploring Iceland’s dramatic countryside. Magnus spends long stretches away working on a fishing boat, while Anna begins to embrace her independence and focus on her painting. Even as the family stays connected, the balance between them is clearly shifting.

Palmason mixes these natural, everyday scenes with unexpected visual touches, including playful dreamlike moments that hint at the emotions simmering beneath the surface. Strong, natural performances from the cast keep everything grounded, while the family’s lively dog Panda nearly steals the show.

Thoughtful and visually distinctive, this is a quietly moving portrait of love, change and the ties that still hold families together.