The documentary “Spies, Lies, and Family Ties”, by Helgi Felixson, premieres at Bíó Paradís tomorrow evening (Thursday 28 January). The film explores the story of seven individuals who were arrested by the British Armed Forces in 1941 in the dead of night in the fishing village of Ísafjörður, Westfjords. The people were accused of harbouring a German man thought to be a spy.
Among those arrested were Helgi’s grandparents: Tryggvi Jóakimsson and his German-born wife Margrét Häsler. The couple spent two months in a British jail for their part in the alleged crime.
“My grandfather was an important businessman in Ísafjörður and the incident left its mark on him for life. It was something he felt deeply ashamed of. It’s a sin he passed on to us, his descendants. The incident was never discussed in the family,” Helgi told the National Broadcasting Service, RÚV.
The lighthouse keeper at Galtarviti lighthouse in Súgandafjörður, Þorbergur Þorbergsson, was also taken into custody by the British. Galtarviti is now a popular destination among Iceland’s artists and travellers who hunger for solitude. The lighthouse is only reached by foot, sea or snowmobile. “Basically, there’s no easy way to get to the lighthouse,” according to owner Ólafur Jónasson.
The documentary is screened at Bíó Paradís, Hverfisgata 54, at 8 pm. The film has English subtitles. Tickets are available at Tix.
TRAILER from Felixson on Vimeo.
The documentary “Spies, Lies, and Family Ties”, by Helgi Felixson, premieres at Bíó Paradís tomorrow evening (Thursday 28 January). The film explores the story of seven individuals who were arrested by the British Armed Forces in 1941 in the dead of night in the fishing village of Ísafjörður, Westfjords. The people were accused of harbouring a German man thought to be a spy.
Among those arrested were Helgi’s grandparents: Tryggvi Jóakimsson and his German-born wife Margrét Häsler. The couple spent two months in a British jail for their part in the alleged crime.
“My grandfather was an important businessman in Ísafjörður and the incident left its mark on him for life. It was something he felt deeply ashamed of. It’s a sin he passed on to us, his descendants. The incident was never discussed in the family,” Helgi told the National Broadcasting Service, RÚV.
The lighthouse keeper at Galtarviti lighthouse in Súgandafjörður, Þorbergur Þorbergsson, was also taken into custody by the British. Galtarviti is now a popular destination among Iceland’s artists and travellers who hunger for solitude. The lighthouse is only reached by foot, sea or snowmobile. “Basically, there’s no easy way to get to the lighthouse,” according to owner Ólafur Jónasson.
The documentary is screened at Bíó Paradís, Hverfisgata 54, at 8 pm. The film has English subtitles. Tickets are available at Tix.
