Screening: The Day Iceland Stood Still

When 90% of Iceland’s women walked off the job and out of their homes one morning in 1975 the country came to a standstill. Unexpectedly funny and told for the first time, this is the true story of one day that catapulted Iceland to the world’s superpower of gender equality.

In 1975, nearly all Icelandic women walked off their jobs and out of their homes, refusing to work, cook, or care for children. This powerful strike reshaped the nation, making Iceland one of the best places in the world to be a woman. Told by the women themselves and timed for the 50th anniversary, this story is both subversive and unexpectedly funny. One activist recalls, “We loved our male chauvinist pigs, we just wanted to change them a little!” The Day Iceland Stood Still is a collaboration between U.S. director Pamela Hogan, an Equal Rights Amendment campaigner, and Icelandic producer Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, who attended the strike at age 7. While the U.S. E.R.A. never passed, Iceland has closed over 90% of its gender gap and is committed to full equality. This story aims to inspire viewers worldwide to reimagine the possible.

Saturday, March 8th | 1pm | $10; $5 for members | Tickets

In Icelandic with English subtitles | Documentary | 70 min.

Host or Publisher Scandinavian Living Center