The Day Iceland Stood Still (Pamela Hogan og Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, USA/Iceland 2024, 71 min)

The Day Iceland Stood Still is a powerful and captivating documentary about the day the women of Iceland changed history.

On October 24, 1975, 90 percent of Icelandic women went on strike. They didn’t go to work, they didn’t do housework, and they didn’t look after the children. Iceland came to a standstill. Telephones rang incessantly, schools and institutions closed, and for the first time, men had to handle daily life on their own in massive numbers.

The film recounts this remarkable day through vivid narratives from the women who organized the strike and those who participated. Through archival footage, music, and personal stories, it shows how solidarity, courage, and humor became tools in the struggle for equal rights.

The Day Iceland Stood Still is not just a film about a historical event, but a reminder of how much change can spring from community and social responsibility. Five years later, Iceland elected its first female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, and many point to this day as one of the decisive turning points in the fight for equality.

See more at Tímin.fo