The Seer and the Unseen

In Iceland, people have always lived in harmony with the trolls, ghosts and elves living in every river and under every stone. Until the present, that is—as acknowledged by the gray-haired protagonist of Sara Dosa’s documentary—when only half of the country believes in them. That’s enough, however, to keep her constantly occupied. Since Ragnhildur Jonsdottir, known to everyone as Ragga, can communicate with the island’s first inhabitants. Although she discovered her ability as a child, Ragga only revealed her secret as an adult. She always remembers to give her invisible neighbors honey and teaches her grandchildren the custom as well. The favors that people ask for are usually related to everyday matters, e.g., the owner of a small guest house is afraid that the elves wont’ like a planned annex. However, when the government decides to build a highway that crosses a place considered sacred, Ragga decides to take action. After all, as her practical husband notes, people can’t see God either—but they believe in him anyway.