Iceland Submits ‘The Love That Remains’ for Oscar for Best International Feature Film

Iceland has selected Hlynur Pálmason’s The Love That Remains (Ástin sem eftir er) as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.

This is the third time that a film by Hlynur Pálmason is selected as Iceland’s entry to the category, following A White, White Day (2020) and Godland (2024), which made the shortlist for the Academy Awards that year.

Starring Saga Garðarsdóttir, Sverrir Guðnason, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir, Þorgils Hlynsson, and Grímur Hlynsson, the film is a tender, off-beat family drama unfolding across one year as parents navigate separation while maintaining connections with their three children and even their sheepdog, Panda – who famously won the Palm Dog award at Cannes.

The film premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, and is set to be showcased at Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival later in the year as part of its Main Slate.

The jury commented on their pick, saying, “The Love That Remains captivates with strong and effortless performances and a simple yet powerful visual narrative. It moves seamlessly between social realism and artistic imagery, captivating the viewer from the very first frame. The interactions and interpretations of the actors are so authentic that the viewer feels almost as if looking through a peephole into the life of a real family, rather than witnessing a predetermined structure or staged performance.”