Guðrún Helgadóttir honoured in Hafnarfjörður
Her works of fiction number around twenty-five, and her books have been published in numerous languages. In addition, she has written several plays.
The writer Gudrún Helgadóttir, a native of Hafnarfjörður, was honoured this week and especially thanked for her works and her contribution to Icelandic culture in connection with the Children's Book and Film Festival, which is being held in Hafnarfjörður at the moment. Guðrún needs no introduction to Icelanders, but she has written works of fiction and created characters that the nation has come to love over the years, such as Páll Vilhjálmsson, the twin brothers Jón Oddur and Jón Bjarni, and many others besides. Through her writing over the years, Guðrún has secured her place as one of the most beloved and popular authors of our time. Her body of fiction numbers close to thirty, and her books have been published in numerous languages. In addition, she has written several plays.
Children's author Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir from Hafnarfjörður, who presided over the opening ceremony of the Book Festival- and Film Festival this year, and Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, chair of the Hafnarfjörður Education Council, visited Guðrún this week and presented her with a token of appreciation for her invaluable contribution to the community.
At the opening of the Book and Film Festival at the Town Cinema, Bergrún Íris read from Guðrún's book, “A Love Story from the Mountains“, in front of a large group of nursery school children. A varied programme has been running over the past few days; among other things, all children in Hafnarfjörður were invited to the cinema to see Jón Odd and Jón Bjarni, A historical walk was held through the south town, where Guðrún's brother, Leifur Helgason, led a group of enthusiasts through the settings of some of her books, telling them about events at their childhood home on Jófríðarstaðarvegur and much more. This is the third time the Children's Book and Film Festival has been held in Hafnarfjörður, but it is intended to support the Hafnarfjörður literacy project, 'Reading is the Game of Life', and to encourage children to immerse themselves in the fantasy worlds of books and films.