All language subtitles for A.Letter.from.Helga.2022.1080p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264

It was once a clear morning.

It was many years ago.

The two of them walked
along the sidewalk

and held hands against
the rising sun.

Against the rising sun

each considered their own way.

Now they walk their separate ways

and hold hands.

Hold hands

across a clear morning.

Apparently it's the fashion now
to smile in photos...

Children!

Dinner is ready.

Not yet!

You can keep on playing later.

Inside, now!

Shouldn't we eat something?

I ate already.

There's plenty of blood
pudding in the barrel.

I ordered a new book.
Pan it's called, by Hamsun.

Supposed to be a remarkable text.

I don't understand how you have
time for all this reading.

"Love is most passionate.

When it cannot be had.

Never love, and you'll
never be sad."

Does this old saying apply to us?

- Ingjaldur, this is one of yours, right?
- Yeah.

Yes, that one was his.
Do we have all of ours?

I think so.

- Do you have Bassi?
- Of course.

Where did the card go? There it is.
It was just behind your ear.

No. I saw what you did.

"I may not be bright or pure, but...

I love you and no-one else."

And here you keep saying
I'm not well read enough...

Happy anniversary, my dear Helga...

Seven years?

We met at a dance and
the dance is still in full swing.

And wrestle!

Let's go!

Ingjaldur!
You got this!

Let me hear you!

- Wrestle!
- Bjarni!

- Bjarni!
- Yes!

- Bjarni, take him down!
- Wrestle!

Bjarni!

Yes, yes, yes!

Come on Ingjaldur take him down.

Yes!

Our very own Hay Officer.

- Like usual.
- Bjarni Gislason wins the game!

Hello!

Well, what have we here.

I'm sorry.

It's alright,
I didn't think anyone was here.

I was just jotting down
thoughts about Pan, for Sunday.

You do Reading Society homework in
the middle of a sheep round-up dance?

I was just hiding from my husband.

He's flown off to meet
the wine gods I suppose?

At which point he starts
reciting poetry.

he doesn't understand.

I know I'm not exactly
the life of the party.

Not like the couple from Fell.

I'm not sure which one's going
to carry the other home tonight.

Well played, earlier.

Josteinn, watch out!

- Listen my friend...
- No, no, no...

Good night.

Good night.

"But Heavens,

the girl had kissed me
openly in sight of them all!

What is it, Edvarda? I asked, and
I could hear my blood beating,

hear it as it were
from down in my throat

so that I could not speak distinctly.

Nothing, she answered.
Only that I wanted to.

It doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter? I thought.

She sat down close to me
and kept looking at me fixedly...

Afterwards, when we played charades,
she said so everyone could hear:

I shall have Lieutenant Glahn!
I don't care to run after anyone else.

God damn it, can't you
be quiet, girl? I whispered.

She made a face as if I had hurt her,

but then smiled awkwardly.
I was deeply moved.

That helpless look over her eyes
and her whole being.

I couldn't resist.

I was drawn to her in that moment.

I took her long slender hand in mine.

Later! I said. No more now.
We can meet again tomorrow."

I chose this chapter

because I find Edvarda such
an interesting character.

She's boisterous, and childlike...

- She is only 15 years old.
- Yes...

But at the same time very
strong to just go for it...

You read that as strength?

I admit I saw it as weakness.

Yes, well... she just wades into
the unknown with this Glahn.

She doesn't know what kind
of a person he is...

It takes guts to do something
like that.

And he, Lieutenant Glahn,

loves her much more because of it...

Sure, he's a bit embarrassed
on the surface.

But that feeling doesn't
cut very deep.

She should maybe be
careful nonetheless.

They both should.

Perhaps they're just unhappy
in their marriages.

Neither of them are married.

Maybe you didn't finish the book.

I don't understand why Hamsun

has the wretched man
shoot himself in the leg?

Bloody cold outside.

Why don't you go fuck her then,
to warm up?

It was bound to happen...

I just thought you would look
further than the next farm.

When did it start?

There wasn't any start.
It's just a bullshit rumor.

Don't do this to me.

- Don't do what?
- Don't lie to me?

Bjarni, do not.

I'm not lying.

You're just a man, Bjarni.

Well well, my Bassi.

- Hello there.
- Hello.

I'm here with Bassi,
like Hallgrimur and I discussed.

Is he not home?

No, he's out East.
taming mares.

Should I come back later?

No. No, let's get this over with.

Old Sigridur passed away.

Mhm... and the wind blowing
in from the north these days.

No chance of launching a boat
to go get the poor woman.

Yep, it's blowing in from the north.

But with the occasional sunbeam
shining through the snow.

According to that there should
be more male lambs this year.

You believe in those superstitions?

Yes.

Yes, I do.

No worse than any other belief.

No, guess not.

I'll take a look at the lambs too
since I'm here.

Yeah, sure.

Easy, easy...

Easy...

Any flaws on the rib tips?

No, they should make it
through the winter.

- Gauntness?
- No no, this one is well-rounded.

I assume you've heard the
stories about you and me.

I have.

And so has Unnur.

Hallgrimur is so busy chasing
horses and women in the east,

it seems he hasn't heard a thing.

Nobody talks to him anymore, anyway.

Imagine how bored people are here!

They have to make up stories about
other people's love affairs,

just to survive the winter.

Lying in each other's kitchens,

all worked up
from too much coffee and gossip.

And as soon as the human mind
starts filling up with such ideas...

well, who can stop it?

Bjarni...

Bjarni.

Ingjaldur is here.

The way up to Holmanes is passable.
You have to go now while you can.

- What?
- To fetch the body.

I'm getting up.

You can't say old Sigridur chose
the best time to kick the bucket.

Well, "when the call comes,
no one buys his way out"

as the man wrote.

Anyway, it's been so long
now since she passed.

Perhaps Gisli buried
her himself already.

I had a feeling you would come today.

Sigridur's last batch.

Well...

Quite the winter we're having.
Layers of ice on all the fields.

There was more frost in the ground last
year, but the hay fields were fine.

More coffee, boys.

Thank you.

Can we look into your
sheep shed later?

don't think I've ever seen such
fine horn growth

on any ewes like yours.

Well, except maybe on my own sheep.

And such long legs!

Thankfully the short-leg trend in
the south hasn't reached your farm.

Sure, but it's harder to fit
the leg of lamb in the oven.

The sea is getting choppy
at Hvalsker.

We need to get this over with.

Well, Gisli
You know what our purpose is here.

Finally the weather permitted us
to fetch dear Siqridur.

for a proper burial.

But we were wondering how you've
dealt with the situation,

since it's been weeks
since she passed.

Maybe you've buried her yourself?

Well...

I wouldn't say buried, no.

The ground was too frozen for that.

I had no option but to try to
prepare the body of my dear wife

in some decent way.

Could you lend me a hand, boys?

My dear fellow.
This is what I call being resourceful.

Well, my dear.

They've finally come to get you.

It feels like it was yesterday that
we came to this place as newlyweds.

All our days were spent here.

Just the two of us at
the edge of the world.

But I've never wanted
for anything else,

up until this moment.

Now that you are gone.

Not warming up yet after
that slog of a trip?

A little.

Maybe it's your heart that's cold.

Unnur?

Can I come upstairs?

To my room?

I should have gone with you.

To the hospital.

Of course you couldn't
in the middle of lambing season.

But Karlsson still walked
for a long, long time.

Until he reached really high cliffs.

He sat down and said: "Moo for me,
Bukolla. If you are still alive".

Then he heard the cow moo'd
underneath his feet.

When do you leave tomorrow?

Early.

Hallo.

- What are you doing?
- Oh, come on. Don't be this way.

- Helga?
- Hummm.

I'm trying to read.

Don't you care for me even a little?

Don't be a baby.

Answer me.

I'll give you an honest answer,

if you give me an honest answer

about whether it's only mares you
are taming over there in the East.

Helga...

I'm trying to read.

- Are you trying to read?
- Yeah.

God damn it.

Maybe you wouldn't even care
if I had someone else?

If things were normal between us.

you might perhaps be
a tiny bit jealous.

Huh?

- Helga?
- Yeah.

The unconditional survives,

trust and love, and hope that is
watching over the Summerland.

That is the new sky,

and the new earth,
that steps down from Heaven.

We'll meet one day in no man's land,
covered all in pure white sand.

I dream of you in sunshine there.

As graveclothes shroud
your figure bare.

As graveclothes shroud
your figure bare.

Our Father, who art in Heaven.

Hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come...

Let thine will be done so
on Earth as in Heaven.

My sheep have come down with the scab.

Has Hallgrimur spoken to the
Agricultural Association?

No, he didn't have time.

He left this morning for
another horse taming trip.

Do you think it's mites?
Or sheep ked?

They're constantly rubbing.
themselves against the rails.

Sounds like sheep ked.

Can you come over and take a look?

I... I don't know
if I have time.

Aren't you titled
"Hay officer" of the county?

I guess.

- If it is... - No, I...
I'll look into it with the Association.

Thanks.

There's a sheep tick
problem at Alvidra.

Helga was just seeking my advice.

Bogga told me that also.
happened to them last year.

So, you are going to help me out?

We need to heat up the
concoction first.

The sheep shed has a stove, right?

- Hallgrimur still away?
- Yes.

And the kids?

At boarding school.

What did you say, Walz bathing?

Walz.
With a "z" in the end.

- Like Wienerwaltz?
- Yeah.

So you've been collecting plants?

The recipe is from the old district
administrator himself, Magnus Ketilsson.

You throw in both seaweed and
wood ash into the cow's urine,

undiluted contrary to
the instructions.

from the idiots in Reykjavik.

Then add tar, human urine.

- Want to taste?
- No, thanks.

There, there...

Let's get her up there.

Yeah, like this.

One, two and...

Everything is fine.

There, there...

I'm sorry.

Is this what the Agricultural
Association told you to do?

What happened to you two?

What?

I stopped loving Hallgrimur
a long time ago.

I thought life would be
an adventure with him.

But he's just stuck in
his own adventure.

You don't have to feel sorry for me.

But you and Unnur.
You seemed like equals.

The perfect couple.

Perfect farm.

Perfect image.

Maybe that's all it was.

An image.

Still, I envied you.

But then it was like you were...

broken.

What happened?

I don't know how to describe it.

Things I don't understand.

Silence that grows and grows

and eats us away.

You're right on time.

Please, sit.

I forgot the... um...

Please, eat while it's hot.

Everything grows darker,
the skies too...

As the fog becomes thicker...

- Why don't you say anything?
- What am I supposed to say?

- I'm perfectly fine...
- Oh really?

What's this then? Walking around
with cliches in your pocket.

"Happiness is rewarding."

Right.
Everything is all right with you.

Isn't it?

"Never indulge yourself."

"Speak ill of no-one."

- Those are mine.
- Yeah, you're clearly fine.

Never leave me.

Here.

- One pipe?
- Yes, why not.

It gets hot.

When you work hard.

Yes, and now turn.

One, two and like this.

And this as well.

I thought the kids could use
these during the winter.

Thank you so much.

I made some for you too.

Thank you.

Now give me your hand.

"Onward, onward!
Onward against the gust;

the sunny, golden and
scolding hot gust

that breathes on the immigrant's face

when he sticks his head
out of the train window.

Onward across the prairie,
vast, endless,

full of peace,
and reminiscent of death.

Onward to the land of wonder,

the Promised Land,

the land where friends
wait impatiently to welcome you...

embrace you...

kiss you...

...the land where wealth
happiness,

fortune, freedom and respect
awaits you."

Such an artful start of a story

that then turns out to be
exactly about the opposite.

The opposite?

Young Olafur here travels to Canada

chasing love and of course
the dream of a better life.

But when he arrives, the only thing
that awaits him is rejection.

Of course he wants to try
his luck elsewhere.

In Iceland he'll be a badly paid
farmhand until he dies.

His life in Iceland isn't
anything special.

No chance of freedom or independence.

And then this love comes along...

And it's larger than life.

Well, well. Little did we know
that you were such a romantic.

But at the end of the story
they're both lost to the world.

She's lost all connection
to her origin,

and he's just waiting for death

out there in that no man's land
the Canadian prairie.

"he who betrays his fairy queen
will have a hard time dying."

You take the fairy queen to be
a metaphor for Iceland?

He who betrays his country
will have a hard time dying?

Yes.
What else could it be?

Love.

He who betrays
Iove will have a hard time dying.

No, no no...
the hay is blowing out to sea!

Bjarni, grab the net.

Well, well. Little did we know
that you were such a romantic.

- What is that, chocolate?
- Can I have some?

- I don't see a thing.
- Obviously a battleship.

What were they doing up
here in the North?

Are they planning to occupy us,
like they do in Reykjavik?

I doubt that. They probably
just passed through.

Dad!

Hey boys, don't look at that.

Go up to the house and
grab a sack of salt.

- Yes.
- Move, move.

- Dead?
- Yes.

Kids!

Soldier?

I have a bag to wrap him into,
the kids don't need to see this.

Didn't you have trouble
with your horses?

Yeah, they went berserk
after the bombing.

The boys have been trying
all night to gather them up.

It was a fleet of ships outside
of Straumnes that sank.

Is that so?

And they saw naval mines
just outside Grimsey.

Olafur has been sailing out there,
picking up corpses from the ocean.

Oh my God.

There could be more corpses.

Could be hundreds of men in the sea.

- It was ten to twenty ships.
- How awful!

Something major has happened.

Where is Helga?

I don't know.

Shouldn't we just start?

- Yes, let's.
- Don't you wanna start us off?

I wanted to read from
the last chapter.

And what really drew me in was...

Evening to you all.

- Hello.
- Hello, there.

I just got back home,

and thought I'd pop in on
this little sewing club.

Where is Helga?
Isn't she coming?

Why?

We're reading Hamsun again.

This time it's "Victoria".
Have you read it?

No I haven't read "Victoria".

Bjarni.

are you responsible for
this book selection?

Yes... and what about it?

How about reading something
that's really juicy?

Like "The Black Cliffs"
by Gunnar Gunnarsson?

- What's the story?
- It's based on true events,

you remember the murders
up in Sjounda farm.

That where farmer Bjarni falls in love
with the neighbors wife, Steinunn.

Same name as you.

He kills her husband...

and then...

the two lovers kill Bjarni's wife?

That's right.

That's right.

Remind me, how does it end?

- We are reading "Victoria".
- Remind me!

- Well, Bjarni and his lover
are sentenced to death. - Right.

- I think I should serve the coffee now?
- Hello dear Unnur.

Yeah, that would be great.
One cup of coffee.

So, are people excited about
the Harvest Dance on Saturday?

- Where's Hallgrimur?
- I don't know.

- Does he... know?
- I'm pregnant.

We can leave this here, and move
to Reykjavik with the children.

Start a new life.

It's cheap there, and plenty
of work to be had for the army...

you're so good with your hands,
you would find something to do.

You're suggesting...

What? That I sell
my home, my land...

to go shovel ditches for Americans?

We could be together.

"Motherland, my place of birth,
by every man beloved so true...

Where daylight brought me
life and mirth,

where the child I was
matured and grew".

Is this the time to recite shitty
poetry about some fucking motherland?

Didn't you hear what I just said?
I'm drowning here.

I can't continue
living here in shame.

Under Hallgrimur and Unnur's noses.

I couldn't even go to the store
like a respectable person.

"Look, the whore who let Bjarni knock her
up while she was married to Hallgrimur".

Who cares what anyone thinks?

My family has lived in Kolkustadir
for nine generations,

for crying out loud.

Do you think we can do
whatever we want?

You can do whatever you want.

I need to think about this.

You don't have much time.

Bjarni!

You don't have the guts
to finish the job!

You don't have the guts
to finish the job!

Don't fucking talk to me about
finishing jobs, son of a bitch.

You make Helga do everything.

- You don't have the guts...
- Shut up, Hallgrimur.

Where are you going, Bjarni?

"And then there were eight."

"Seven little darlings..."

- Don't you remember the lyrics?
- "Went..."

Bjarni?

Bjarni?

Blessed are you, my country.

Summer, winter, years and days.

The field, the mountains, your river.

My wonderful country.

You call me back home.

You pull my mind back towards you,
away from the distance.

Blessed be my land.

- You were born in this bedroom.
- Yes.

Summer, winter, years and days.

You have a daughter.

Time to get up already.

I've prepared the sealskin.
You can take it to town today.

Will you do it?

If I have time, yes.

I'm very sorry about all of this.

Sorry for both of us, that
things turned out this way.

And now we have to watch
your daughter

being raised by someone else.

But I'm trying to move
on with my life.

Is it too much to ask you
try and do the same?

What for?

Why are you trying to continue?

For who?

Why are you giving me a shave?

Where are we going?

Nowhere.

If you had actually
wanted things to improve,

you would have considered
seeing another doctor,

getting a second opinion.

You're just in love with
your own suffering.

I'm in love with my suffering?

As if any of this is my doing...

- Is this my choice?
- Yes.

So this is my fault?

- This is my choice?
- Yes, this is your choice.

Stop that.

Please stop it!

I'm tired of this, Unnur...

You're always the perfect one,

so unbearably generous,
and everything I do is wrong.

You have no idea how much I think
about you and your feelings...

you just don't know.

Is that so?

Yeah, right. Of course. All of this
is about my feelings, of course.

- Of course.
- You know what?

Sometimes I wish you would die.

That you would choke on a
fishbone one of these nights,

but for that you would actually
have to eat something...

Don't you think I also wish
I was dead?

Do you know how many times I have

thought about walking into the ocean?

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

You know what,

I don't think all this...

really mattered at all.

You would have fallen in love
with her anyway.

Bassi.

We were on a trip.
In the dream.

We were going to move
to Canada together.

You had your old trunk...

and the sheep.

You wanted to take them with you.

And then suddenly we
were on board the ship.

Or I was.

You weren't going to come
with me after all.

I was alone on the ship
as it sailed away.

- You cheated!
- I did not.

Yes you did!
You took the card.

- Hallgrimur?
- It still is cheating!

- You lost six times!
- No!

- Yes!
- I only lost once.

- Hello there.
- Hi.

Hello, dear Hulda.

Would you like to come inside?

No... no.

Take Hulda for a little bit
in the living room, kids.

- Why?
- Just because I say so.

Vigdis, take them to
the living room. Right away.

Now!
Listen to me.

Did you take the bus...

You once told me that I could do
whatever I wanted.

That I could do what I truly desired.

It is you that I want.

You and Hulda.

Bjarni.

I can take more jobs
for the Association.

I can come more often and stay longer.

I'll find a boy to help
Unnur with the farm.

I could do this.

Do what?

Are you and Unnur...?

She knows I'm here.

Have you left her?

Helga...

I have to give myself some time.

This is complicated for me.

I'm just a farmer.

I'm married.

I'm not like you, I wish I was.
I wish I could just let go. But...

You never take the leap.

- I'm taking the leap.
- I can't love you both.

I came here to be with you.

Bjarni, it's been two
and a half years.

I loved you then.
I needed you then!

I came here to start a new life.

For me. For my kids.

Then?

So that's it?

Go home, Bjarni.

It was a clear morning.
It was many years ago.

The two of them walked
along the sidewalk

and held hands
against the rising sun.

Against the rising sun

each considered their own way.

Now they walk their separate ways

and hold hands.

Hold hands

across a clear morning.

Across a clear morning.

What do we have here?
What do we have here?

- What is... Bjarni... What is going on?
- No... No... No...

What is wrong with you man?

Leave me alone.

- Bjarni...
- Leave me alone!

Hallgrimur!

Hallgrimur!

Fucking asshole.

Hallgrimur!

There you are, you bastard.

There you are...

Go home, Bjarni.

You didn't deserve her.

Neither did you.

Neither did you.

Don't go.

Helga.

Don't go.

Helga.

I thought you had left.

Yeah, so did I.

It's me, Hulda.

What... what brings you here?

I was going to show
Birna my countryside.

Oh right, this is Birna.
We took the bus.

And then of course dad and
Ranka aren't even home...

Coffee, too?

- Do you have anything stronger?
- Birna!

What? It's been a long trip.

Unnur's needlework is so beautiful.

She's in Holmavik now
buying more yarn.

It's becoming so popular,

people all over the county
ordering pillows and chair backs.

- Won't you have some too?
- No, thank you.

So what's new in Reykjavik?

Oh just endless parties.
Rock'n Roll.

What?

All she does is stay
at home, studying.

- Stop it.
- She wants to work in television.

I'm gonna let her sleep for a bit.

Then we just go over regardless
if they are home or not.

You can stay the night
here if you want.

What do you think all of this means?

I think she just

based it off some pattern
from some foreign magazine.

I have a letter for you.
From mom.

What...

when did she write...
or when did she give this to...

This morning.
Before I left.

It's been a long time
since I saw you.

- Coffee?
- Yes please.

Yes, come on in.

Since we parted ways
I have written many letters to you,

but destroyed them all immediately.

They were filled with anger
and bitterness.

I was trapped inside a burning house

and could hardly formulate
any thoughts,

let alone write them down.

I had to find a way out, which I
did by sending you away that day.

So that life could go on.

One little darling saw a young boy

but then a dwarf came
and pulled her into the stone.

And sure enough, life did go on.

Here you go.

I was free...

Take your time.

Free from your wavering heart.

Free from my heart.

Free from your warm body

that embraces me
at night in my dreams.

Now that the fire has died,

I have to say what I
couldn't say then.

I love you.

I will always love you.

Bjarni.

We could have been happy.

Come here.