White Viking
Encyclopedia
The White Viking is a 1991 film set in Norway
and Iceland
during the reign of Olaf I of Norway
.
Embla is the directors cut of the White Viking and released on DVD in 2007. It was premiered at the Reykjavik International Film Festival on October 6, 2007. It is the directors cut of the original film as the director imagined it. Gunnlaugsson chose to call the film Embla so that it is not confused with the White Viking, compiled by the producers of the film in 1992. Embla is the third film of the legendary Raven Trilogy (also known as the Viking Trilogy) that consists of three 'Viking' films:
Embla, as played by Maria Bonnevie
, was her first screen role when she was only fifteen years of age.
who seeks to root out paganism in Norway. Embla is captured, and as punishment, Askur is sent to Iceland with the task of converting the people there to Christianity in order to free Embla. The choice of names for the young married couple comes from Nordic mythology, which describes a rebirth of the world after Ragnarök
, in which Midgard
is to be repopulated by two humans named "Ask" and "Embla."
This film was directed and co-written by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
during the reign of Olaf I of Norway
Olaf I of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken , and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.Olaf played an important part in the often forcible, on pain of torture or death, conversion of the...
.
Embla is the directors cut of the White Viking and released on DVD in 2007. It was premiered at the Reykjavik International Film Festival on October 6, 2007. It is the directors cut of the original film as the director imagined it. Gunnlaugsson chose to call the film Embla so that it is not confused with the White Viking, compiled by the producers of the film in 1992. Embla is the third film of the legendary Raven Trilogy (also known as the Viking Trilogy) that consists of three 'Viking' films:
- 1) When the Raven Flies (1984) - (original Icelandic title: Hrafninn flýgurHrafninn flýgurWhen the Raven Flies is the title of a 1984 film by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, set in Viking age Iceland.When the Raven Flies is the first film of the Raven Trilogy that consists of three 'viking' films:...
) - usually known as simply The Raven or Revenge of the Barbarians. - 2) In The Shadow of the Raven (1987) - (original Icelandic title: Í skugga hrafnsinsÍ skugga hrafnsinsIn the Shadow of the Raven is the title of a 1988 film by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, set in Viking Age Iceland....
). - 3) Embla (2007) - (original Icelandic title: Hvíti víkingurinn) - the directors cut of The White Viking .
Embla, as played by Maria Bonnevie
Maria Bonnevie
Anna Maria Cecilia Bonnevie is a Norwegian-Swedish actress. She was born in Västerås, Sweden, but she grew up in Oslo, Norway. Her parents, both actors, are the Norwegian actress Jannik Bonnevie and Swedish actor Per Waldvik...
, was her first screen role when she was only fifteen years of age.
Plot
The film centers on a character named Askur, who marries a woman named Embla in a pagan ceremony, enraging King Olaf, a ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
who seeks to root out paganism in Norway. Embla is captured, and as punishment, Askur is sent to Iceland with the task of converting the people there to Christianity in order to free Embla. The choice of names for the young married couple comes from Nordic mythology, which describes a rebirth of the world after Ragnarök
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
, in which Midgard
Midgard
Midgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is an old Germanic name for our world and is the home of Humans, with the literal meaning "middle enclosure".-Etymology:...
is to be repopulated by two humans named "Ask" and "Embla."
This film was directed and co-written by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
Hrafn Gunnlaugsson is an Icelandic moviemaker. He is the brother of the actress Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir. He is mostly known for his series of Viking movies, sometimes called "Cod Westerns"...
.
Cast
- Gotti Sigurdarson as "Askur"
- Maria BonnevieMaria BonnevieAnna Maria Cecilia Bonnevie is a Norwegian-Swedish actress. She was born in Västerås, Sweden, but she grew up in Oslo, Norway. Her parents, both actors, are the Norwegian actress Jannik Bonnevie and Swedish actor Per Waldvik...
as "Embla" - Tomas Norström as "Bishop ÞangbrandrÞangbrandrÞangbrandr was a missionary sent to Iceland by king of Norway Óláfr Tryggvason to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. Snorri Sturluson described him as follows:-Origins:...
" - Egill Ólafsson as "Olaf I of NorwayOlaf I of NorwayOlaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken , and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.Olaf played an important part in the often forcible, on pain of torture or death, conversion of the...
"