Rating: 
Summary: Placed me inside of Intuit culture and enriched my life.
Review: Filmed in the Greenlander Inuit language, this 1998 film works on two levels - realism and myth. Native Greenlanders who were colonized by Denmark in 1947. Now, fifty years later, their culture has been marginalized by alcoholism. Rasmuth is typical of his people. He drinks too much and embarrasses his family. And when he tries to go hunting, he doesn't even have the proper clothing. One of his teenage sons has drifted into the mainstream culture and despises him. The other son has a mental breakdown and goes on a murderous rampage before turning the gun on himself. Rasmuth is shamed beyond belief, and goes on a journey into the heart of the frozen world to redeem himself. Along the way he meets a hermit who helps him on his quest. This is where the film turns mythic. Usually I don't like films that bend reality. But this film was different because it was told from inside the Inuit culture. The acting was of high quality. And the cinematography was excellent. I felt I was picked up and put down in a world I know little about. And when the film was over, I knew that my own life was enriched because of it. I didn't even mind the slightly uneven pacing. I therefore highly recommend this film for anyone who doesn't mind a bit of sadness and is willing to learn about a way of life outside our everyday world.
Rating:
Summary: Placed me inside of Intuit culture and enriched my life.
Review: Filmed in the Greenlander Inuit language, this 1998 film works on two levels - realism and myth. Native Greenlanders who were colonized by Denmark in 1947. Now, fifty years later, their culture has been marginalized by alcoholism. Rasmuth is typical of his people. He drinks too much and embarrasses his family. And when he tries to go hunting, he doesn't even have the proper clothing. One of his teenage sons has drifted into the mainstream culture and despises him. The other son has a mental breakdown and goes on a murderous rampage before turning the gun on himself. Rasmuth is shamed beyond belief, and goes on a journey into the heart of the frozen world to redeem himself. Along the way he meets a hermit who helps him on his quest. This is where the film turns mythic. Usually I don't like films that bend reality. But this film was different because it was told from inside the Inuit culture. The acting was of high quality. And the cinematography was excellent. I felt I was picked up and put down in a world I know little about. And when the film was over, I knew that my own life was enriched because of it. I didn't even mind the slightly uneven pacing. I therefore highly recommend this film for anyone who doesn't mind a bit of sadness and is willing to learn about a way of life outside our everyday world.
Rating:
Summary: human, nature and deep respect
Review: Heart of Light is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It tells a story of a man finding his identity after huge changing of society. This combined with experiences in his childhood - experiences that he felt like a runaway from his roots - sends the man out on a quest. And what a quest! A beatiful, genuine and deep story - I cried every time I saw it. And I guess I will all the future times I will see this movie, again and again. Rasmus Lyberth, though not an actor, has the power of the Greenlandish people - power of nature, power of life. A masterpiece by Jacob Gronlykke. Congratulations!
Rating:
Summary: The mythic past meets the modern world
Review: I have been intrigued by Greenland ever since I read Peter Hoeg's novel "Smilla's Sense of Snow." That's what attracted me to this film, and while I'm glad I saw it--and enjoyed it--it's not entirely successful. Performances are uneven and there are holes in the story that beg to be filled. Nevertheless, the Greenlandic landscapes of the second half are breathtaking, and it's interesting to see a story about a different culture told by someone OF that culture. It's certainly worth a watch.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and ambitious, if not wholly successful
Review: I have been intrigued by Greenland ever since I read Peter Hoeg's novel "Smilla's Sense of Snow." That's what attracted me to this film, and while I'm glad I saw it--and enjoyed it--it's not entirely successful. Performances are uneven and there are holes in the story that beg to be filled. Nevertheless, the Greenlandic landscapes of the second half are breathtaking, and it's interesting to see a story about a different culture told by someone OF that culture. It's certainly worth a watch.
Rating:
Summary: human, nature and deep respect
Review: I might have picked out Heart of Light for the wrong reason. The first thing mentioned in every review for this movie is Greenland. I do not intend to offend with the following: I have to admit that the mere mention of Greenland seems enough to conjure up the image of the end of the world (physically so). I thought it nice to check out the land that I have very seldom heard about, let alone view. I was not terribly dissapointed with this film but neither was I overly impressed. The cinematography is first-class, capturing the stark beauty of the barren ice land. The story is thematically deep and intense, about a father whose son murder a couple of people, including his brother's lover, and then kill himself after not being able to stand the ridicules unleashed on his anachronistic father. The father would take a journey to the deep terrain of Greenland in search for forgiveness and understanding of his life. During this journey, he would meet a hermit who shows him a glimpse of his own father's life and ultimately his peace of mind. To cover such a deep territory of soul-searching in such short a time is not a task enviable. A lot of things have to be established for the audience to serve as an involved observer. There lies the biggest flaw of the movie, it fails to adequately present the ever important segments: the who's and why's. Even the motive for the murders is hardly convincing as it takes place early in the film; not enough information about the son and the relationship with his father is provided in the rest of the movie. Even the father cuts a shadowy figure in the entire movie, lost in the effort to tell a deeper and complicated story about a man in search of his soul. This film is certainly ambitious and could have been an epic that carries a universal appeal. However, the first things are definitely not first in this movie. The rule is simple: to identify with someone, you would have to at least know someone. The director seems too busy planning to get to the home base that not all bases are covered. As a result, it remains as a movie that stares greatness in the eye but walks away empty-handed.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but overachieving
Review: I might have picked out Heart of Light for the wrong reason. The first thing mentioned in every review for this movie is Greenland. I do not intend to offend with the following: I have to admit that the mere mention of Greenland seems enough to conjure up the image of the end of the world (physically so). I thought it nice to check out the land that I have very seldom heard about, let alone view. I was not terribly dissapointed with this film but neither was I overly impressed. The cinematography is first-class, capturing the stark beauty of the barren ice land. The story is thematically deep and intense, about a father whose son murder a couple of people, including his brother's lover, and then kill himself after not being able to stand the ridicules unleashed on his anachronistic father. The father would take a journey to the deep terrain of Greenland in search for forgiveness and understanding of his life. During this journey, he would meet a hermit who shows him a glimpse of his own father's life and ultimately his peace of mind. To cover such a deep territory of soul-searching in such short a time is not a task enviable. A lot of things have to be established for the audience to serve as an involved observer. There lies the biggest flaw of the movie, it fails to adequately present the ever important segments: the who's and why's. Even the motive for the murders is hardly convincing as it takes place early in the film; not enough information about the son and the relationship with his father is provided in the rest of the movie. Even the father cuts a shadowy figure in the entire movie, lost in the effort to tell a deeper and complicated story about a man in search of his soul. This film is certainly ambitious and could have been an epic that carries a universal appeal. However, the first things are definitely not first in this movie. The rule is simple: to identify with someone, you would have to at least know someone. The director seems too busy planning to get to the home base that not all bases are covered. As a result, it remains as a movie that stares greatness in the eye but walks away empty-handed.
Rating:
Summary: Unique, tragic, and hopeful...
Review: Somewhat off the beaten path is a unique, tragic, and ultimately hopeful movie -- Heart of Light. The setting -- Greenland -- is practically a first in moviemaking. Harsh, beautiful, cold, dark, and foreboding .... and then light at the end... the setting adds an immeasurable amount to this movie. And in this setting, the protagonist makes a difficult journey while journeying inward as well, searching for if not answers, to come to terms with both past and present. Also of great interest is insight into the culture of Greenland. The dichotomy between the old ways and the new ways, and the effect on the various generations is not only interesting, but important to the storyline as well. And the storyline.....ah..a first-class tragedy rivaling a classic Greek tragedy...pride and shame, and fall from grace and death. And a journey back to hope and reconciliation. An unheralded beauty of a film!
Rating:
Summary: Unique, tragic, and hopeful...
Review: Somewhat off the beaten path is a unique, tragic, and ultimately hopeful movie -- Heart of Light. The setting -- Greenland -- is practically a first in moviemaking. Harsh, beautiful, cold, dark, and foreboding .... and then light at the end... the setting adds an immeasurable amount to this movie. And in this setting, the protagonist makes a difficult journey while journeying inward as well, searching for if not answers, to come to terms with both past and present. Also of great interest is insight into the culture of Greenland. The dichotomy between the old ways and the new ways, and the effect on the various generations is not only interesting, but important to the storyline as well. And the storyline.....ah..a first-class tragedy rivaling a classic Greek tragedy...pride and shame, and fall from grace and death. And a journey back to hope and reconciliation. An unheralded beauty of a film!
Rating: 
Summary: Gem of a film!
Review: The title, "Heart of Light" is what this film is all about. The deep darkness of a lost soul is cleansed by the shining purity of winter's light. This is a film about revisiting the past in order to overcome its demons. It is a film about recovering a lost time and a lost culture. It is a film in a language that you are unlikely to hear often, if ever again...the language of native Greenlanders. It is a film with images of a harsh but beautiful landscape. With its shining crystal ice images, it is indeed a gem of a film.
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