Film Iceland is Best

A country dotted with volatile volcanoes and prodigious glaciers, Iceland's contrasting landscapes have led to it being labelled the Land of Fire and Ice. But for actor Judd Nelson, a trip to the isolated Nordic island as part of his latest on-screen project, Iceland Is Best, meant only one thing - frozen dessert.

"Because I was in Iceland I needed ice cream," states the actor matter-of-factly. "In my head, somehow that made sense," he confesses, recounting his daily trips to a nearby shop whose owner appeared equally as puzzled by the connection.

With filming taking place in the nation's southern capital Reykjavik during the height of winter - where temperatures can drop as low as 14 F (-10 C) - Nelson's hankering for the sub-zero sweet treat understandably raised eyebrows. So too did his initial plan of touring the rocky country by motorcycle - his preferred mode of transport when back in the United States.

"I had all these plans", admits the 64-year-old, a hint of disappointment in his voice as he recalls the realities of the rugged, icy landscape he was confronted with.

"Like I was gonna ride a motorcycle around Iceland. Really? On skates? Come on!" says the actor, a smile audible in his voice as he chastises his own thinking. Going on to describe the layers required to protect against the bitter temperatures - "I'm from Maine, so I thought I knew cold," adds Nelson - the actor insists that once wrapped up against the elements "you see eyes, that's all you see".

"I've been to Russia in the winter - that wasn't colder than Maine. Iceland, now that was colder than Maine," adds the actor.

Rising to teen idol status courtesy of his breakout role as John Bender in 1985 hit The Breakfast Club, the success of the cult classic was quickly followed by coming-of-age hit St Elmo's Fire, starring Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. Nelson has since gone on to star in all manner of on-screen projects. Voicing roles in hit animations including Family Guy and Transformers, alongside the role of record label CEO Billy Beretti in hip-hop drama Empire, it's his latest project that serves to intrigue.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of snow dusted mountains, Iceland Is Best is a tale of escapism steeped in reality. Written and directed by filmmaker Max Newsom (Plunge: The Movie), it's a script that lay dormant for years before Japanese fashion photographer-turned-cinematographer Dankuro Shinma (Open My Eyes) came aboard.

"Occasionally, I've been drawn to the location of a project - certainly that was part of it with Iceland, I really wanted to go there, but that wasn't my only reason for doing it," says Nelson. Describing Newsom as someone who "reeks of good character", Nelson says the beauty of the director's work lies in the fact he "sees the dark things in a light way, and the light things in a deep way".

A story which follows Sigga, a 17-year-old Icelandic native who yearns to leave her homeland (played by newcomer Kristin Auour Sophusdottir), the youngster's aspirations of becoming a poet in California, on paper, seem within reach. It's a premise which sees Nelson take on the fleeting role of Sigga's poetry teacher, Mr Sonquist. However, faced with a series of hurdles - from a lack of familial support to an unexpected love interest - the start to Sigga's adventure is torturously slow, yet tinged with comedy.

In reality, Newsom's inspiration for Sigga came from ex-Icelandic native Sirry, who took three years to make the 1500-metre journey from her family home to the airport check-in desk. It's a factor that adds yet more intrigue to this bittersweet, independent film.

Shot on 35mm film - as opposed to now widely-used digital techniques, the format adds a romanticised feel to the project. It's a detail that acted as a draw for Nelson, who says the use of digital filmmaking vastly changes on-set dynamics. Describing how digital techniques mean cameras continue to film long after a director has called cut, the change of direction is one Nelson refers to as "a shame".

"It's all tense now - it used to be fun. You used to be able to make a joke," says the actor. "And that changes the work, to make the work more artificial."

Going on to describe the way in which "shenanigans happen" on set, the actor nods to more than a handful of recent incidents involving leaked, uncontextualized footage from supposedly closed film sets. Explaining that "everyone is looking for a way to kind of get something that they shouldn't get", the actor says it's a change of attitude within the industry that's "not very kind".

"We've heard these awful tapes of actors getting upset about this or that or whatever - we don't know the context really, we weren't there. And so these violations, in a way - of the agreement between the performers and the director - like people keeping their cell phones on and recording things they shouldn't record."

Famed for its mystical folklore, Vikings and a notable lack of family surnames, the project's international filming location harbours unique traditions that continue to capture the world's imagination. For Nelson, an apparent trivia machine, it's also a country he closely associates with board games.

"I just love the fact that's where Bobby Fischer played chess," says Nelson abruptly, referencing the 1972 World Chess champion who passed away in Reykjavik in 2008. It's one of more than a dozen fascinating conversational tangents Nelson meanders down during our call.

Circling back to fondly describe the nation's quirks as "Bjork-isms", Iceland's traditions were most recently thrust into the spotlight courtesy of Will Ferrell's hit comedy Eurovision. It's a film that highlights the nation's love of the international song contest, alongside the country's belief in the "Little People" - a type of magical Icelandic elf.

"I learned a lot about the fairies, the trolls and the gnomes," says Nelson, describing how he particularly enjoyed listening to "sound frequencies" during his stay, alongside "some kind of weird dial on the radio - where you're hearing somebody from under the ground".

Conceding that he had not experienced any such mystical occurrences himself whilst filming, the actor summarises the unique filming experience as an overwhelmingly positive one.

"Making a film is really about how you solve problems. You try and anticipate as many as you can and prepare for them, but there are things you just cannot prepare for," says Nelson on reflection. "You cannot anticipate catching lightning in a bottle. You have to anticipate not catching lightning in a bottle."

Iceland is Best is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ now.