I never know quite what to expect when a Jeffrey Leiser project crosses my desk, however, I can almost always be certain that it's going to be a bold and imaginative experience entirely worthy of my time. 

I will confess that I'm not sure I could have ever expected Leiser's latest project, Freydis and Gudrid. As I begin to describe it, you'll likely find your mind wanting to something along the lines of Robert Eggers's The Northman. Such a comparison would be lazy and almost wholly inadequate to describe Freydis and Gudrid. The film has its roots in Icelandic sagas, an interest of Leiser's dating back 20+ years following his first trip to Iceland. It's a film, and I'll admit that I find the word film inadequate here, that has taken years to manifest partly because of its complexity and partly because of Leiser's own personal challenges. 

It's worth noting that Leiser is a producer, composer, writer, editor, and director and these are all roles he carries with Freydis and Gudrid. He was a 2018 Composer-in-residence at the Guild Hall of East Hampton and is a three-time Cultural Fellow. Having released 12 albums of original music/scores, Leiser's music has been featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art and he won a gold medal, best score, at the Park City Film Music Festival. 

In short, it's hard to imagine a Leiser film where music isn't also front-and-center. This is very much the case with Freydis and Gudrid. Set to premiere on July 7th in Regal Cinemas and subsequent release on Amazon's Prime Video, Freydis and Gudrid is an operatic endeavor, quite literally, grounded within the Icelandic Vinland Sagas. In the film, a group of merchants and vikings navigate dramati events both within and without. As secrets are revealed, the two women at the heart of Freydis and Gudrid (I'll bet you can guess their names) have a reckoning. 

Freydis and Gudrid was developed with the support of three cultural grants, a lab residency at the prestigious Guild Hall of East Hampton, and featured in a Carnegie Hall concert program. The singing and orchestral score was recorded with a cast of ten and a 16-piece chamber ensemble. 

The film is both epic yet intimate, the grandness achieved surprisingly well despite budgetary limitations and the intimacy manifested largely on the strength of this strong ensemble cast. 

Unless you fancy yourself a devotee of Icelandic cinema, it's fairly safe to say you've seen nothing like Freydis and Gudrid this year. The storytelling feels personal, as it should, and while the technology occasionally falls just shy of Leiser's epic vision, what has been achieved here is remarkable and it's worth watching simply for the visionary cinema that it is. The film is led by Micaela Oste as Gudrid and Kirsten Chambers as Freydis, their performances the undeniable narrative glue holding together all the storytelling and the entire ensemble. They're both remarkable throughout, strong in presence and voice and absolute force. They are imposing figures bringing to life imposing history. The film is further aided by Leiser's expected attention to detail including Samuel Krueger's lensing and visual effects, Jennilee Aromando's mesmerizing production design, and Giannina Gutierrez's hair and make-up among others. 

Leiser is more concerned with authenticity here than mass appeal. There's no music here that's particularly memorable, however, it's also rather unforgettable. I'd venture a guess that music historians will deeply admire Leiser's work. The film is shot largely in black-and-white, an approach that is both authentic yet appropriately serving of the narrative. 

As someone who once adapted Epic of Gilgamesh for the stage, I found myself quite enamored by Leiser's ability to tap into the remarkable storytelling that is both universal and remarkably relatable. It's a remarkable effort, quite honestly, and it's one worthy of its own Fathom Event or similar showcase. 

As is always true with Leiser, he understands his vision for the film and he powerfully brings it to life. While the format here is undeniably unique for contemporary cinema, Freydis and Gudrid works on the strength of its powerful music, excellent ensemble, and tremendous production values given its obvious limitations.   For those who appreciate truly inspired cinema, Freydis and Gudrid is a film to catch when you get a chance. If you get a chance to see it on the big screen, that's all the better! 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic