New Hands (Working title: In my dreams I have hands)

New Hands
Director
Örn Marino Arnarsson/Thorkell Hardarson
Country
Iceland, France
Year
2014
Genre
Documentary, Tv Movie
Scriptwriters
Örn Marino Arnarsson/Thorkell Hardarson
Production
Ljosop ehf/Markell Productions/Bellota Films

Storyline

A man who lost his hands in an accident, gets a new pair from a deceased person. It may sound like science-fiction from Hollywood – but this is reality. Gudmundur Felix Gretarsson (b.1974) lost both his arms in an accident while working with high voltage. After a series of operations and infections, the doctors decided to surgically remove the remaining stubs.

More than a decade has passed and Mr. Gretarsson managed, with some help from friends and complete strangers, to raise the funds necessary for the operation where the new hands gets grafted onto his body. The operation will take place in 2012 in Lyon, France – this is also a first time operation in medical history where one of the shoulder joints has to be grafted on the patient. One of the doctors’ conditions for proceeding with the operation was that Mr. Gretarsson learned French.
Mr. Gretarsson will be in rehabillitation for at least two years if the operation is successfull. During that period he will live in Lyon. The nerves have to grow from the body to the hands. The growth rate is 1 millimeter (0.04 inch) per day and it is estimated to take two years for the nerves to reach the fingers.

This is a miracle story about a man that refuses to accept the fate handed to him and decides to take matters into his own... hands to fulfill his dream to hug his daughters.

The filmmakers goal is to make a film with a positive and optimistic message. We want to make a film that lights a glimmer of hope in the hearts of people that has suffered a blow of fate, and also to encourage the audience to live their life as if every day matters - no matter the individual circumstances.

Festivals & Academy awards and others

Medimed 2013
Pitching forum