The Sky Palace

Eight-year-old Emil and his grandfather have just said goodbye to a very special friend, the dog Skundi. He stood by grandfather through thick and thin. The void Skundi left behind feels huge but grandfather does not want to get another dog. Emil starts to fantasize about having a special friend himself and becomes more and more interested in getting his own dog. Emil's parents, however, are not particularly keen on the idea. Dogs cost money, and the parents also believe that dogs spend their time peeing on the carpet. Besides, Emil's parents have other things on their minds right now. They are building their own house. In the end Emil gets a week to earn the money to buy a puppy. It is a tough week which includes fighting for work, fights with opponents and nightmares about who get to the puppy first. When he has finally earned the money his father suddenly decides that a dog in their house is out of the question. Emil feels cheated, disappointed and angry and only sees one way out; he runs away with the puppy… The Sky Palace is a story about a boy's growing independence, how he finds his place as an individual in the family and starts to make demands. He also shows that he is more than his parents' child; he is also a person with his own free will. The film contains a number of funny incidents, but it also works on a more serious level. It shows the everyday lives of those who constantly lack money. No matter how you struggle to make ends meet, you always loose somewhere along the way. The choice is between spare time or money. If you work overtime there is no time left for each other and if you don't, you are never able to improve your standard of living. The Sky Palace, is that our dream palace, a mirage above the clouds where our dreams come true? Or is the palace in the sky a soap-bubble which ought to be kept at a certain distance? Maybe it is a helpful fantasy when you are fighting to make your dreams come true, whether it concerns your own house or your own dog? Above all The Sky Palace suggests that in the middle of our struggle we must not forget to look at each other. Whether we make our celestial dreams come true or not, we aII feel better if we stick together. Love plays a central part in the film, love which makes us forget about all our buts and musts. Emil's love for his dog overcomes all obstacles. IS

Premiärstatus
Svensk premiär: Orig. titel
SKYJAHÖLLIN: Medverkande
Karl Gunnarsson, Hjalti Rögnvaldsson, Gudrun Gísladottír: Producent
Thorsteinn Jónsson: Manus
Thorsteinn Jónsson, based on the novel by Gudmundur Ólafsson: Foto
Sigurdur Sverrir Palsson: Musik
Christoph Oertel: Talat språk
Icelandic