When the Light Breaks

In this Icelandic drama, we follow Una, a young art student who encounters love, friendship, sorrow, and beauty over a long summer day.

Una and Diddi, two students at the Iceland Academy of the Arts in Reykjavik, are head over heels in love. They must keep their relationship a secret because Diddi already has a girlfriend, but he is finally going home to break up with Klara.

But Diddi never returns, leaving Una with a bottomless grief she cannot share with friends or family because no one knew they were a couple. Things go from bad to worse when Klara comes to town, but the meeting between the two left-behind lovers eventually sparks and chases away the darkness. It is warm, moving, and beautiful.

Ljósbrot was the opening film in the Un Certain Regard program at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Director

Rúnar Rúnarsson (b. 1977) is an Icelandic director known for his films Volcano (2011), Sparrows (2015), and Echo (2019). His works have premiered at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, and San Sebastián, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards.