The Seer and the Unseen

Filmmaker Sara Dosa and Film Subject “Ragga” Jónsdóttir to attend in person for Q&A , moderated by local filmmaker Chico Colvard.

Set against the spectacular landscape of Iceland, THE SEER AND THE UNSEEN is a magical realist documentary about invisible elves, financial collapse, and the surprising power of belief. The documentary follows Ragnhildur “Ragga” Jónsdóttir, a grandmother and “seer” who has the ability to communicate directly with a parallel realm of elves, or huldufólk (hidden people) -invisible spirits of nature that over half of Iceland believes in. As one of the country’s most respected seers, government officials, businesses and individuals hire Ragga to consult the elves to learn where they can and cannot develop land. But when Ragga is called upon to be the elves’ ‘Lorax’ and speak on behalf of nature under threat, she enters a political battle to save an ecologically important lava field set to be razed by road construction -just one of the many needless projects spurred by Iceland’s sensational financial meltdown in 2008. Through Ragga’s heroic fight, THE SEER AND THE UNSEEN explores the invisible forces that shape our world and transform our natural landscapes, revealing not only what is worth seeing but what is worth saving.

“While its mystical subject defies logic, Sara Dosa’s verité film is cogent and appealing thanks to a savvy strategy. Dosa respects Ragga’s beliefs without endorsing them, and positions her activism as a metaphor for saving the environment… This captivating film does not ask viewers to see elves with her, but to observe and hear the quiet, enduring, threatened natural world all around. – Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter

World Premiere at the SFFilm Festival. Official Selection of the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival. Winner of the McBaine Bay Area Documentary Prize at the SFFilm Festival.