In Isold Uggadottir’s 2018 film “And Breathe Normally” we follow the intersecting stories of two women working to get their lives back on track in Iceland.
Lara (Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir) is a single Mom, and ex-addict, trying to find a job and keep a roof over the head of her and her son. Anja (Babetida Sadjo) is a single Mom fleeing her country of Guinea-Bissau, with her sister and daughter, on the way to Canada to seek asylum.
Lara gets a job as a customs agent and flags Anja’s passport on her first day. This simple action strands Anja in Iceland, separating her from her family and possibly causing her deportation.
This is a very straightforward, no-nonsense movie. Two women in difficult situations trying to keep their families together. Life can be hard, but sometimes when you least expect it, a little light shines in and your faith in humanity is restored. Empathy opens the door.
There are no real human good guys or bad guys. There are only people struggling to survive by following rules and laws of a flawed system that isn’t always fair.
The performances are honest and real. You want everyone to succeed. You get just enough characterization to understand where these women have been and why they make the choices they make.
The bleak but beautiful Icelandic landscape is the perfect background for this very human story of perseverance.
And Lara’s little boy, Eldar. A simple, subtle performance. Watching his mother lie to keep them going. Being left with strangers while she goes to work. Sleeping in cars when there is nowhere else to sleep. It’s always the children that get caught up in the trouble of this world. A mostly silent witness.
I really loved this movie. It’s the kind of film I would love to make one day. Simple storytelling, relatable characters, and casual pacing that feels very much like you’re riding along on someone else’s life.
You can find this hidden, humanistic gem on Netflix.
Cinematic Point Of View 
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