The Love That Remains

In THE LOVE THAT REMAINS, Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason paints a poetic, surreal, and darkly comic portrait of a family trying to regain their footing after a divorce. This tender slice-of-life drama, featuring an award-winning canine in the cast, is a worthy successor to Pálmason’s acclaimed GODLAND.

Over the course of a year, we follow the family of five closely. A scarecrow endures the changing seasons and the children’s archery practice; Magnús wrestles with his simultaneous presence and absence at home post-divorce; Anna tries to steady both her household and her artistic career. Like the breathtaking landscapes around them, the family’s relationships evolve and transform with the seasons.

The opening shot of THE LOVE THAT REMAINS immediately reveals how Hlynur Pálmason delicately captures a disintegrating marriage and family life. More than a conventional melodrama, the Icelandic filmmaker serves up a series of slice-of-life vignettes in which tender poetry, surreal symbolism, and dark humor intertwine.

The result is a layered family portrait that strikes a perfect balance between wit and emotional depth. The true scene-stealer, however, is Panda, the family’s dog, whose performance earned him the coveted Palm Dog Award at Cannes.