Olaf de Fleur Movies

A small time crook improves his status with the help of a delusional old man in this comedy from Iceland. David (Petur Johann Sigfusson) is an aspiring poet whose work is informed by the tragic death of his brother when they were both children. However, like most poets David can't support himself just by writing and he makes ends meet as an errand boy for a small-time crime ring. David is looking for a way to get ahead in the mob, and when his eccentric landlord Harald (Eggert Thorleifsson) begins telling people that he's a underworld kingpin, he thinks he may have found a way to move a few steps up the ladder. David is able to persuade his partners in crime that Harald is both a close friend and a Mafia capo; he gains new power and influence, but his good fortune is dependent entirely on his landlord not coming to his senses. Stora Planio (aka The Higher Force) also features a brief appearance by Michael Imperioli, who also served as executive producer; the film received its American premiere at the 2008 AFI Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A lifelong space enthusiast and devoted Buddhist explores the outside world after 16 years as a monk in director Olafur Johannesson's intimate look at the life of British-born monk Robert T. Edison. Born and raised in Nottingham, England, Edison developed an interest in Buddhism early on and later traveled to a Thailand monastery in order to further explore the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama. Initially planning to stay for only a few months, Edison eventually ended up residing in the monastery for over a decade. It was during that time that the devoted monk entered into a friendly correspondence with a pen pal from Iceland, and upon traveling to the North Atlantic island country to visit his friend, Edison found that hundreds of other Buddhists resided there as well. Later, a trip to Kazakstan to visit the space station where astronaut Yuri Gagarin embarked on his historic mission found the Buddhist space aficionado falling in love with a beautiful aerobic instructor. Upon traveling back to Iceland to marry, Edison effectively ended his 16-year stint as a monk. Then something strange happened. When the marriage ended after only five months, Edison began to work as a hospital security guard and began to see his life slip into a troubling phase of wearing pants and paying bills. All of that would end, however, when after a decade in the outside world, Edison determined to travel back to Thailand and once again commit himself to living life as a Buddhist monk. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide