A year in the life of a family as the parents navigate their separation takes the spotlight in The Love That Remains, from writer-director Hlynur Pálmason (A White, White Day; Godland). Iceland’s submission in the best international feature film category of the 2026 Oscars marks the third time that a Pálmason movie is an Academy Awards hopeful.
“Through playful and heartfelt moments, it portrays the bittersweet essence of faded love and shared memories amidst the changing seasons,” highlights a synopsis for the film. Iceland’s Oscar selection committee lauded it as “an ode to nature, family, and love.” And THR‘s review called the movie “visually arresting and bittersweet,” said THR’s review.
The Love That Remains, whose cast includes Saga Garðarsdóttir, Sverrir Guðnason, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir, Þorgils Hlynsson, Grímur Hlynsson, Ingvar Sigurðsson, and Anders Mossling, premiered at Cannes in the Premiere section this year. New Europe Film Sales is handling international sales. North American rights for the film are with Janus Films.
Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Eddington) is among the filmmakers who were taken by The Love That Remains. The Hollywood Reporter can now exclusively premiere a video interview that the two creatives conducted together. In it, they discuss the film, which has been lauded for its imagery and acting performances, and go behind the scenes.
“I was really blown away,” Aster shares early on in the video chat. “And I was already a fan of yours.”
The The Love That Remains was produced by Anton Máni Svansson for Still Vivid (Iceland), in collaboration with Katrin Pors for Snowglobe (Denmark), and co-produced by Mikkel Jersin and Eva Jakobsen for Snowglobe (Denmark), Nima Yousefi for Hobab (Sweden), Didar Domehri for Maneki Films (France), Anthony Muir and Kristina Börjeson for Film I Väst (Sweden), and Olivier Pere and Remi Burah for Arte France Cinema (France).
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15. Shortlists will be unveiled on Dec. 16, followed by the nominations on Jan. 22.
So, if you want to learn more about Iceland’s international Oscar contender, check out Arister’s conversation with Pálmason about The Love That Remains below.
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