A Party Beneath a Stone Wall

The Party Beneath a Stone Wall is the story of a couple, Skúli and Ragna, who obviously still love and desire one another but have let their material aspirations run their lives. Instead of drawing closer to one another they have allowed the construction of a new house to represent what they want in life.

A party is held to celebrate the completion of their “dream”, but it is evident that the house is no longer a symbol of solidarity but of division. The house has become a metaphor for the invisible walls the couple have been building between each other for years. They have drifted apart in the very process of trying to make their relationship more solid.

The film is about what drives us to do what we do, how we think we have time to organize our dreams, when all the time we are on the edge of chaos. We think we occasionally see the light, and it is often in the throes of enlightenment that we lose what is dearest to us.

The story takes place in the post Icelandic economic boom. Not only is the story topical but it’s also a unique part of the Icelandic culture. It’s ironically appropriate to a nation waking up from dreams of extended prosperity.