This time, Iceland won the whole thing.

We are thrilled to announce that Inside a Volcano: The Rise of Icelandic Football, directed by Sævar Guðmundsson, has won the 2017 Golden Whistle, awarded annually to the top film at the K+S Soccer Film Festival in New York, as determined by the K+S film panel.

The film, which screened on opening night at K+S New York 2017, depicts the development of soccer in Iceland that culminated in the tiny nation’s quarterfinal run at the 2016 Euros. Its insider's perspective on the Icelandic national team’s journey – from childhood dreams to the world stage – reverberated with a sold-out audience.

“Inside a Volcano celebrates what we love most about sport and film — the underdog seeking victory, a shared journey, a pursuit that has no boundaries,” says K+S co-founder and programming director Rachel Markus. “Sævar and his team got incredible insider access and showed a clear admiration for the players and their ambitions. And vice versa. Throughout the film, we get a rarely seen up-close glimpse at the personalities on this team that became a global phenomenon. It is intimate, unflinching, funny, and clearly worthy of this year’s Golden Whistle.”

Past Golden Whistle winners:
Club Frontera, 2016
Standard: Le Film, 2015
Scouting for Zebras, 2014
Mundial: The Highest Stakes, 2013
The Four-Year Plan, 2012
Soka Afrika, 2011

Thank You, New York

K+S New York 2017 – our 9th annual festival in NYC – was yet another incredible event. We couldn’t have done it without the help of our partners: Venezia FC, Herrick, Einstök Beer, America SCORES NY, New York Red Bulls, Societe Generale, Scandinavia House, and France Amerique.

We also received support from many people and entities within the local soccer community, including Youri Djorkaeff, the Cooligans, NYC Footy, Upper 90, and KICK. 

Most importantly, we thank you, the K+S supporters who come out to the films and make the festival great each year. This is a labor of love for us, and to see so many faces, both familiar and new, show up makes it all worth it.

Yours in soccer,
Rachel, Greg, Oliver + the rest of the K+S team

P.S. Keep an eye out for news about an upcoming #SoccerSocialHour later this summer.