The children experience how a book becomes a play

Opening ceremony of the 2022 Children's Book and Film Festival at the Gaflar Theatre

Hundreds of nursery school children attended the opening ceremony of the 2022 Children's Book and Film Festival at the Gaflar Theatre this morning, where the oldest children from the nurseries got to experience how a book becomes a play. The creators of the play The Longest Forever, children's author Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir and actress and director Björk Jakobsdóttir, told the children about the process of adapting a book into a play, and the actors of the show. Longest forever Show clips from the exhibition. The Book and Film Festival runs until 21 October.

A sincere work about friendship, life and death

The musical 'Longest Ever Forever' is based on the popular, award-winning books by Bergsveinn Írisson about Eyja and Ragnar, who become best friends despite a 90-year age gap. The show deals with friendship, life and death in a sincere way, and is full of joy, song, warmth and a heartwarming message. The much-loved Siggi Sigurjóns plays the role of Rögnvaldur the old man, and the part of six-year-old Eyja is played by two young actresses, Iðunn Eldey Stefánsdóttir and Nína Sólrún Tamimi. The show also features ten children singing, acting and dancing, alongside actors Ásgrímur Geir Logason and Júlíana Sara Gunnarsdóttir. This popular musical is back at the Gaflar Theatre after a summer break, with eight performances available between 30 October and 20 November.

A cultural festival for children in Hafnarfjörður

The Children's Book and Film Festival is a cultural festival for children in Hafnarfjörður, where the focus is on books and films. The festival's aim is to foster children's interest in reading and literacy in the broadest sense, thereby supporting the city's nursery and primary schools' literacy project, 'Reading is the Game of Life'. The festival began last Friday with a film marathon at the youth centre, Hamrarinn, followed by the centenary of the Hafnarfjörður Library and an exhibition opening at Hafnarborg on Saturday, and a creative poetry and watercolour workshop at Hafnarborg on Sunday.

Book and film-related project work will characterise school activities in Hafnarfjörður this week.

The cultural festival is held in October in close cooperation between the City of Hafnarfjörður and the Hafnarfjörður Public Library, Hafnarborg, primary schools, nurseries, after-school clubs, and other organisations. The festival's stated aim is to encourage children of all ages to take an active part. Book and film-related project work, adventures, reading, working with letters and words, and fun films will characterise the school activities in Hafnarfjörður this week, both in the town's nurseries and primary schools. The Hafnarfjörður Folk Museum invites school groups to visit on weekdays for a special exhibition on the history of cinemas in Hafnarfjörður, as well as the museum's other permanent exhibitions.