KATLA
Netflix and RVK Studios , Reykjavík, Iceland
Production design for Katla
Katla (stylized as KATLA) is an Icelandic mystery–drama television series created by Baltasar Kormákur and Sigurjón Kjartansson. The show premiered on 17 June 2021 on Netflix.[1]
A year after an eruption of the Katla volcano began, only a few people remain in the nearby town of Vík, persisting despite choking ash. An ash-caked woman who apparently disappeared twenty years earlier appears in the village, looking as she did back then. More ash-caked people who died in the past arrive in Vík, creating a paradox for those who knew them and reviving legends of “changelings“. Meanwhile, a volcanologist from Reykjavík discovers the remains of a meteorite buried in the glacier, while having to deal emotionally with the reappearance of his dead son. Through their interactions with the “changelings”, the inhabitants of Vík are forced to find their own ways of dealing with their unresolved issues from the past.
Speaking of detail, Katla has that in spades in every scene. You’ll soon recognise the various very distinct locales of Vik, from the river crossing to the hospital, police station, farm, and of course the cozy Hotel Vik. Despite knowing there’s a big constantly-erupting volcano there, we really want to visit Vik. And before you ask, yes, Vik is a real place just like the volcano, even if the show wasn’t made in the town itself. Apparently, stories set in Iceland don’t pull many punches.
The production crew, headed by series creators Baltasar Kormákur and Sigurjón Kjartansson, did a spectacular job. When you only need a split second to tell where each scene takes place, that’s the mark of good set design. Also, everything’s covered in detail, appears super lived-in, and shows the effects of the volcano on everyday life and habitats. We’ve seen recent movies where living on Mars was a lot easier.
https://www.benq.eu/en-uk/knowledge-center/knowledge/netflixs-katla-erupts-beautiful-4k-detail-character.html
