Who Are Your Next of Kin?

Directed by Benedikt Bjarnason

There is a genealogist in every Icelander. “Hverra manna ert thú? – Who are your kin?” is the favourite question among Icelandic people when they meet for the first time. The person questioned then names the family members of his clan, upon which the person asking is sure to know his opposite. The two of them are inevitably related, at the very least seven or eight generations back. Studying family history and family trees has always been something of a national sport in Iceland, much more popular than in other countries. This documentary film examines the various aspects and effects of family connections on Iceland and accompanies the filmmaker on his quest for his own Icelandic roots.