How far do you have to travel to find yourself? And what sacrifices are you willing to make to get there?
Veiga Grétarsdóttir is the first person in the world to attempt to kayak over 2,000 kilometers (1,300 miles) around Iceland, counter-clockwise and “against the current.” This achievement has been said to be comparable to climbing the mountain K2.
Veiga’s personal journey is no less remarkable. She was born 44 years ago as a boy in a fishing village on the far west coast of Iceland. Veigar had a wife and family but decided that she could no longer live as a man, and at the age of 38, decided to undergo gender reassignment.
The inner struggle for Veigar to become Veiga was a journey as difficult if not more so than the solo kayak expedition she undertakes. These two stories of conflict and struggle are intertwined as the film follows her amazing 103-day journey around Iceland, with the magical, rugged coastline of the country a backdrop to the story of Veiga’s transition.
“My vision was to intertwine these two heroic journeys into one film: The journey around Iceland in a kayak and the journey from being a small boy in the westfjords of Iceland, move away to come back 40 years later as a woman,” said director Óskar Páll Sveinsson.
“The film is set against the dramatic coastline of Iceland and while she is battling the elements, we will learn how she fell in love, started a family and then almost lost her life in her personal battle to find her true self.”
“You could say that’ Against the Current’ is a mix of two classic themes: man against nature and man against himself. I hope this film will and raise awareness of that some of us have to go to great lengths to find happiness and our true self,” added Sveinsson.
“Against the Current” is co-presented by Unify Sedona — A Rainbow Alliance.