While the 10th Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF) just opened its doors yesterday for an 11 day presentation of more than 100 films from 40 countries and masterclasses by Mike Leigh and Ruben Östlund, a new film event, the ‘Stockfish’ Film Festival backed by Iceland’s main film industry associations will unspool for the first time from February 19-March 1st 2015 in the Icelandic capital.

Set up as a non-profit organisation with funding from the City of Reykjavik and Promote Iceland, Stockfish intends to promote Iceland’s local talents and industry and vice versa showcase European works for local audiences at Reykjavik’s only arthouse cinema Bíóparadís. “Our aim is  to offer opportunities to connect with the creative community in Iceland, which has been quite successful internationally for years now. By bringing high quality films and guests to the festival, we can create an international dialog and a strong platform in Reykjavik for such exchanges”, said the local industry godfather, director/producer Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, who represents the Association of Icelandic Film Directors (SKL). Other trade bodies supporting the new film event include the Icelandic Filmmakers Association, the Icelandic Film Producers Association, The Icelandic Actors Association, Women in Film and Television and the Icelandic playwrights and Screenwriters Association. Stockfish has teamed up with Norway’s Kosmorama and Trondheim International Film Festival to co-organise their respective industry days and it will host Iceland’s national EDDA awards.

The current Reykjavik International Film Festival headed by Hrönn Marinósdóttir is running until October 5. Highlights of the event include the competition section New Visions where 12 films will vie for the Golden Puffin – including the Finnish film They Have Escaped - and the Open Sea programme showcasing among others Roy Andersson’s Venice winner A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflection on Existence and Danish director Ole Christian Madsen’s Itsi Bitsi

For the full programme check: www.riff.is