Eallogierdu: The Tundra Within Me

Directed by Sara Margrethe Oskal, Eallogierdu: The Tundra Within Me follows Risten Anine Kvernmo Gaup’s Lena as she arrives in the remote Scandinavian wilderness to begin a residency involving women reindeer herders. It’s a low-key premise that’s employed to exceedingly subdued yet initially promising effect by Oskal, as the filmmaker, armed with her own screenplay, effectively delivers an intriguing opening stretch that boasts a compelling atmosphere and superb lead performance – with the engaging vibe heightened by an agreeable subplot detailing Lena’s tentative romance with a local. (This includes an amusing sex scene wherein both characters spend plenty of time taking off layers and layers of each other’s clothing.) There’s little doubt, then, that Eallogierdu: The Tundra Within Me‘s downfall is due to a padded-out, repetitive midsection and second half, as Oskal places a growing emphasis on elements of a decidedly less-than-enthralling nature – including Lena’s ongoing unpleasant encounters and virtually everything involving her avant-garde art. By the time the wholly ineffective third act rolls around, which revolves almost entirely around a tedious love triangle, Eallogierdu: The Tundra Within Me has cemented its place as a misfire that squanders Gaup’s stirring work and a relatively strong premise.

** out of ****