2 BIRDS COMPETING FOR THE PALME D’OR

Zik Zak Filmworks is proud to announce that Runar Runarsson’s Smáfuglar (2 Birds english titel) has been selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Only 9 out of approximately 5000 short films made it to the competition.

The Official selection can be seen here

The short is an unflinching look at the painful transition from childhood to the stark reality of adulthood. The story is simple in itself about a group of kids looking for some escapism, which has some terrible repercussions. Runar’s writing is filled with great observations and under his direction the teenagers turn out to be real characters, and not saturated by the nostalgic reminences of adulthood, as so often is the case. They drink, they long, they curse, have a rich and complicated inner life, yet they lack experience and the maturity to be fully independent individuals. Relatively inexperienced actors cast the main roles, but their portrayals are so emotionally mature and delicately nuanced in every longing glance and nervous tick, that watching them in their fragile roles transcends the experience of watching professional actors do the same.

Although the surroundings and story are completely different, thematically it is a companion piece to Runar’s award winning and Oscar nominated short, The Last Farm, where the main protagonist makes the ultimate sacrifice out of love. In that way, 2 Birds is a logical next step in the prolific collaboration between Runar and Zik Zak Filmworks and the second film in their Crossroad Trilogy.

Info sheet for 2 Birds

Original Title: Smáfuglar
English title: 2 Birds
Original language: Icelandic
Sub titled version: English
Type of film : Short
Genre : Drama
Year of production: 2008
Date of theatrical release in Iceland : 3. october 2008
Int. release: Official Selection Cannes 2008

Awards & Nominations
*Nominated for PALM D´OR at The Cannes Film Festival 2008
*Nominated for Best Short Film at The European Film Academy Award 6.des. 2008
*Best Fiction Film at XVIII MESSAGE TO MAN International Films Festival
*Canal+ award at The 23rd Cinema Jove Internacional Festival
*Prix UIP at The 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival
*The Nisida Award at 15th Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival
*The Young Peoples Award at 15th Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival
*Best Creative Subject at 15th Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival
*Anthony Mingella Best Director Award
at SUPER SHORTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2008
*Sasusfaction Best Drama Award
at SUPER SHORTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2008
*Best Fiction at The Melbourne International Film Festival 2008
*The Best Short Film at DOKUFEST The 7th International Documentary and Short Film Festival In Kosova
*The Best International Film Award atThe 3rd Noci International Short Film Festival
*The Award of the Puglia Region at The 3rd Noci International Short Film Festival
*Second Prize of The 7th International Best of Short Film Festival 2008
*The Best Short Film at The 13th Milano Film Festival.
*Best Short Film at The 24th Warsaw Film Festival
*The Best International Short Film at The Cork Film Festival
*The Best International Fiction at
The 5th Curtocircuito Int. Film Festival at Santiago De Compostela
*Grand Prix du Conseil général de l’Essonne au court métrage at
10th Festival du cinéma européen en Essonne
*The Best Short Film at The Edda Awards 2008
The annual Icelandic film Academy awards.
*Prix du Jury Jeune at 23rd Brest European Short Film Festival
*Prix Européen France 2 at 23rd Brest European Short Film Festival
*Mention spéciale Prix Européen du Conseil Régional de Bretagne at 23rd Brest European Short Film Festival
*The Grand Prix for the Best Film at The 13th Siena International Short Film Festival
*The ‘Cecilio Paniagua’ award for The Best Photography at The Almería en Corto International Film Festival
*The Menzione Speciale CortoPress for Foreign Films at The Festival Pontino Del Cortometraggio
*Best International Short Film at The 25th Festival International du Film d'Amour de Mons
*Nominated For Menningar Verðlaun DV 2008
*The Second prize for The Best European Short Film at The Festival Europeu de Curtmetratges FEC Cambrils-Reus
*The Best Short Film at The The Northern Wave International Film Festival
*The NIFA Best Fiction at The 21st Minimalen Film Festival
*Grand Prix of The Jury at The Festival du Cinéma Européen de Lille
*The Grand Prize at The 13th REGARD –Saguenay International Short Film Festival
*The Best International Film at The 7th Wood Green International Short Film Festiva
*The Jury Award at The 18th Mamers en Mars European Film Festival
*The Youth Jury Prize-Caisse d'Epargne. at The 18th Mamers en Mars European Film Festival
*The Grand Prix de la meilleure création sonore at The Aubagne International Film Festival
*The “CRISTIAN NEMESCU“ BEST DIRECTING AWARD at The NexT Filmfestival 2009
*The Audience Award at The 9th Nice Film Festival
*The Student Jury Award at The 9th Nice Film Festival
*The Special Mention of The Press Jury at The 9th Nice Film Festival
*The Youth Jury´s Special Mention at The 21st Filmfest Dresden
*The Golden Horseman for The Klangmusikpreis at The 21st Filmfest Dresden
* The Prémio RTP2 Onda Curta at The Festival Internacional de Cinema Independente de Lisboa
*Grand Prix of The 12th Brussels Short Film Festival
*Best Director at The 6th Naoussa International Film Festival
*The Grand Prix, Tralci di Trevignano at The 15th La Cittadella del Corto
*BEST WORLD FILM at AsterFest 2009
* Best Director Award for at the Festival du Film de Cabourg 2009
Best Short Film at 17th edition of ARCIPELAGO - International Festival of Short Films and New Images
*Best Director Award at The TOFIFEST International Film Festival
*Best Short Film at The 10th Maremetraggio Short Film Festival
*Grand Prix of the 7th International Festival Signes de Nuit
*Best Film at The Mas Sorrir 4th International Festival of Short Films
*Best Actor Award at The 12th Festival Inventa un Film Lenola
*Best Director Award at The 12th Festival Inventa un Film Lenola
*Best International Fiction at The 10th Lucania Film Festival
*Audience Award at 5th Kinemastik Short Film Fest
*Off International - Volvo Grand Award at THE 10TH CIRCUITO OFF Venice International Short Film Festival
*Best film in the "Short Film Centering around Sexuality" category at The Festival of Short Minimalist Films Kota 2023
*Best Actor at The 4th Sapporo International Short Film Festival
*Best Director at The 4th Sapporo International Short Film Festival
*Best Fiction at The 1st Festival International du Film Court Persona - Evreux
*Grand Prix of The fifth Prague Short Film Festival

Director: Runar Runarsson
Script Writer: Runar Runarsson
Director of Photography: Sophia Olsson
Production Design: Haukur Karlsson
Orginal Score: Kjartan Sveinsson
Sound Design: Sylvester Holm
Editor: Jacob Schulsinger
Costumes: Hrafnhildur Hólmgeirsdóttir
Producer: Thor S. Sigurjonsson, Skuli Fr. Malmquist. Hlin Johannesdottir,
Co.Producers: Grimar Jonsson , Caroline Schlüter
Production company: Zik Zak Filmworks
Tel: +354 5112019, Fax: +354 5113019
Production supported by: Icelandic Film Centre

Synopsis:
2 Birds takes place during one bright summer night and follows a group of young teenagers on a journey from innocence to adulthood. The main character is a timid boy who has a typical schoolboy crush on a girl his age, who happens to be a friend of his mate.
2 Birds are the second film of Runarsson’s Crossroad trilogy. The first one is the award winning and Oscar nominated short film The Last Farm.

Directors statement for 2 Birds

People at crossroads in their live interests me.
The questions they are confronted with , in balance with the choices they have.
I wanted to make a film about adolescents and love , a boy becoming a man.

Main Cast:
Atli Óskar Fjalarsson , Hera Hilmarsdóttir , Sigurður Jakob Helgason , Þórunn Jakobsdóttir
Theater print: 35mm
Running time: 15 minutes
Number of Reels: 1
Film Gauge: 1:1.85
Sound: Dolby SR

World Sales:
PREMIUM FILMS
130 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France.
Ph: +33 1 42 770631. Fax: +33 1 44 540502.
Email: fred.joubaud@premium-films.com

Smáfuglar

Smáfuglar aka 2 Birds is a icelandic short film by the Oscar nominee Rúnar Rúnarsson that is in post production at the moment. Smáfuglar is produced by ZikZak Films.

Earlier cooperation between Rúnarsson and Zik Zak resulted in the award winning short film Síðasti bærinn aka The Last Farm.

Link to the films web page

More info will follow soon