Heather Millard producer of the films Refractive and Ring

Heather Millard, an adjunct professor in the Film Arts Department of LHÍ, has not been sitting idle lately, but she is the producer of two new Icelandic films. One of them is the film Refraction directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson, the other is the short film Ring (O) which Rúnar also directs.

Refraction (When the Light Breaks) has already had a good time celebrating, but the film won the main prize of the Oslo Film Festival recently and won the best Nordic film. It is the film's fifth international award, but it was chosen in the pre-selection for the European Film Awards.

Refraction happens on a beautiful spring day when Una's life turns sideways in an instant. Then a roller coaster ride of emotions begins, where the line between laughter and crying, beauty and sadness, sometimes blurs. The film was released in cinemas in Iceland on August 28.

The short film O has been chosen to compete for the main prize in the category of short films at the The Venice Film Festival. The film will therefore premiere at the festival on September 5th. O is a poetic account of a man who wants to perform, but his main obstacle is himself.

We look forward to following the continuation in Venice in the coming days.

Heather Millard, co-founder of Compass Films and Animation Studio Iceland, has produced a selection of award-winning films in the categories of feature films, documentaries, short films and cartoons in Iceland and the UK. Heather produced, among other things. Refraction by Rúnar Rúnarsson, which was the opening film of Un Certain Regard in Cannes in 2024, and his short film O, which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival this September; Cold by Erling Thoroddsen; Band by Álfrúna Örnólfsdóttir (HotDocs 2022), Summer light and then comes the night by Elfar Aðalstein (Tallinn Black Nights 2022); Too Good Report by Jahmil XT Qubeka (TIFF 2013); and Yarn By Una Lorenzen (SXSW 2016).At present, Heather is completing an MBA in European Film Business and Law at the Erich Pomer Institute and Film University Babelsburg, but she recently qualified as a consultant on sustainable and environmentally friendly film production (e. Green Consultant) from the Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart. Heather represented Iceland at the Producer on the Move in Cannes in 2015 and received the Producers Network recognition in the co-production market of the European Film Festival Les Arcs in 2023. She is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA) and sits on the board of the Icelandic Film and Television Academy (ÍKSA), the Association of Icelandic Film Producers (SÍK) and the Nordic Animation Producers Board.