Gróa (English title Spring Awakens) is a 90-minute documentary co-directed and produced by Anna María Björnsdóttirand Tumi Bjartur Valdimarsson.  The film follows Anna María, a singer, mother of three, who relocates from Denmark to Iceland with her children. Her partner Jesper is the son of Danish organic farmers, and together they discover the contrast in organic food culture and farming practices between Denmark and Iceland. 

In Iceland, they find that only about 1% of farmers are certified organic, a much lower figure than many EU countries aiming for around 25 % organic farming by 2030.  The documentary explores what prevents organic farming from becoming more widespread in Iceland: regulatory challenges, availability of organic products, consumer habits, soil and climate issues, and cultural factors.

My soundtrack is involves some close miked and raw sounding strings and instruments, with “organic” ambient electronics. The themes are inspired by the storyline but also elements of nature, such as Icelandic bird song converted to melodic patterns. One of the main theme builds on a section of a work I was working on at the same time, with a children’s choir, commisioned by concert hall Salurinn in Kópavogur, Iceland.