Synopsis
A man appears in a stark, almost clinical setting as a sequence of cue cards walks viewers through the steps for helping someone who is choking. The demonstration is presented with a deadpan, deliberately formal tone, while the music supplies an expansive, solemn counterpoint. Rather than following a conventional narrative or featuring the band, the film turns a basic first-aid lesson into an oddly hypnotic performance. Its practical message remains clear, but the contrast between emergency instruction and Sigur Ros' atmospheric sound gives the clip its surreal character.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Eg anda" translates from Icelandic as "I breathe," a fitting title for a video centered on breathing and choking.
- The song opens Sigur Ros' 2012 album *Valtari*.
- The video was part of the Valtari Mystery Film Experiment, in which around a dozen filmmakers received the same modest budget and broad creative freedom to interpret songs from the album.
- Sigur Ros deliberately stayed unaware of what the filmmakers were creating, avoiding the usual approval process and allowing each film to develop independently.
- The concept was presented with deliberately straight-faced humor as an educational pop video, making the mismatch between the solemn music and the practical lesson part of its appeal.
- The project expanded into a series of short films featuring contributions from artists including John Cameron Mitchell, Ryan McGinley, Ramin Bahrani, Alma Har'el, and Clare Langan.