Directed by Pamela Hogan, The Day Iceland Stood Still follows the impact of October 24th, 1975 when 90% of Iceland’s women Faced with unequal pay and a general lack of respect, the women’s work stoppage created shockwaves throughout the country. Suddenly, men across the nation were forced to recognize the innumerable (and essential) roles that their women played in Icelandic society. Their stoppage stopped the country… and they needed to be recognized.
Using a blend of interviews and animation, Hogan taps into the energy of a day that sent a message to their male-dominated society. There is a playfulness within this film that is both enthusiastic and infectious. As momentum begins to grow, the buzz across the nation builds as these women begin to realize the power that they truly possess. In this way, Hogan’s film serves as an inspirational piece to all women. Speaking to numerous women who participated in the event, one can’t help but see the glow in their faces as they recount the wild nature of the day. (In fact, this same feeling of joy is also true of the women who Hogan speaks to that have felt the impact of that fateful day in 1975.) For the women of Iceland, October 24th was meant to be the beginning of a new era of gender equity and, in many ways, it accomplished that.
Except.
In Stood Still, Hogan also recognizes that there is still much more work that needs to be done in order to bring true equality. Although Iceland seems to be a nation that does ‘everything right’, they are not free from gender inequity. Hogan’s doc ensures that this commentary is not to negate the power of October 24th or the positive effects that followed. However, it is simply to note that the battle cannot be won in a day and that this generation still has many battles to fight.
The Day Iceland Stood Still is playing at HotDocs ’24. For more information, click here.
