Six stories about the human soul take place in the Icelandic countryside, under the gaze of the local horses: about the unhealthy curiosity of one’s neighbors; the passion for vodka; a clash between two stubborn men; the energy of a wild woman; the insouciance of a Spanish immigrant; and the rivalry between women.

Picture gallery

Each time, the story starts off as a reflection in the eye of a horse – that noble and stoic being, hardly troubled by the lives of humans who come together and fall apart under its gaze. An unclassifiable sketch film, somewhere between slapstick comedy and film noir, Of Horses and Men des hommes takes apart what we think we know about Iceland with disconcerting imagination. The unique beauty of the setting, enhanced by sensitive direction, gives a very particular strength to this series of unforeseeable fables. The unusual rhythm and often difficult images will make it hard for some audiences to digest. An imperfect debut therefore, but nonetheless explosive, making Benedikt Erlingsson a director to watch out for.