Welcome back to another installment of everyone’s favorite day of the week, Mubi Monday! This week we have a short from up-and-coming Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason with…Nest (2022).
Title: Nest
Director: Hlynur Pálmason
Released: February 10, 2022 (Berlin International Film Festival)
Runtime: 22 minutes
Available to stream on: Mubi (here’s a month of Mubi on me)
Writer and director Hlynur Pálmason found himself at home for a year. So, what did he decide to do with his time? Well, he set up a camera and filmed the evolution of a tree house that was assembled with the help of his three children.
If you were looking for more background or insight into the film, sorry to disappoint. That’s it.
We have a fixed camera position focused on an old utility pole with the Icelandic landscape behind it. Beginning with the utility pole coming down and continuing all the way through the completion of the tree house, we get a front row seat to both the successes and the mishaps along the way.
I wasn’t joking when I said that there wasn’t a lot of depth to this. However, that isn’t always a bad thing. Yes, as the viewer, we get dropped into the world of these children without any explanation. As things progress, we realize that we’re never going to get that explanation either.
Now for some, I can see why this approach would be a deterrent. Why are we here? Will the children succeed in building their tree house? The one child who disappears after an unfortunate incident…does he make it? These were the questions that kept me engaged throughout. It doesn’t matter why I’m here, what matters is seeing what unfolds now that I am here.
Although I was invested in seeing the outcome, what also helped to keep me engaged was the Icelandic landscape. While there is very little dialogue, the changing landscapes do their own version of speaking. They allow us to see the transition from season to season and the challenges that come along with each.
I am not sure how rewatchable Nest (2022) might be after a couple of viewings. However, it is definitely at least worth carving out twenty-two minutes of your time to view at least once.
So, there you have it. You’ve heard my thoughts, but now I want to hear yours.
If you’ve seen Nest (2022), drop a comment below or reach out on social media with your thoughts!
As always, you can see everything else that I’ve been watching recently over on my Letterboxd page.