Heimferð
Moetivi Caravan: Expedition Home

 Moetivi Caravan - Heimferð is a performing arts project between Arctic Culture Lab Norway, Handbendi Brúðuleikhús, Iceland and ProFitArt, Czech Republic. The project explores  the idea of home, whether we can take our home with us, and what it means to be forced from our homes. What does ´home´mean. How does travel and mobility affect our experience of the home as a space?  We invite the audience into our travelling theatre caravan, our own home away from home, for unique performances that use animation, music, theater, puppet theater, object theater and audiovisual production. The performances challenge the audience by highlighting the difference between the optional mobile home that a caravan symbolizes for many, and how the experience changes when a mobile home is the result of an involuntary journey or a crisis. What do we need to get the feeling of having a home? The collaboration between the actors in the Czech Republic, Iceland and Norway challenges the audience to reflect through these personal performances. In collaboration with ProFitArt, Czech Republic and Arctic Culture Lab, Norway, with support from EEA grants.

Moetivi Caravan - Heimferð will premiere as part of Listahátið Reykjavík 2022 and tour nationally.

Supported by EEA Grants (www.eeagrants.org ) Culture Programme (https://www.eeagrants.cz/en/programmes/culture) 

​What we do

Puppet making and consultation

Handbendi specialises in creating unique creatures for theatrical productions. We are also available for puppetry consultation and direction.

​Our Shows

We create and produce original work for small-mid scale touring both nationally and internationally. Take a look at our recent and upcoming productions here. 

Studio Handbendi

Our studio space in Hvammstangi is open for visitors on select days throughout the year. Check out our open day calendar and stop by the studio for a coffee and to see what we are making. The studio is also home to our youth theatre and artist residency programmes.

Workshops and Youth Programmes

Handbendi regularly leads education workshops in puppet making and performance. These workshops are available year round across the globe. 

We also lead three local youth programmes - Summer Youth Theatre, Youth Radio Theatre, and our brand new Youth Arts Hub which will launch in the autumn of 2021. 
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Artist Residency Programme

Each year we offer up to three companies the opportunity to focus on their work in the thunderous silence of Northwest Iceland. The residency programme is best suited for early development work and is tailored to your companies needs and goals.  Residencies typically last 2 weeks - 3 months. 

Film, TV, and animated shorts

awarHandbendi occasionally works with film and television professionals to support their productions through puppetry direction, consultancy, and performance.  Some recent projects include puppetry work for the award winning Icelandic feature film Lamb, and on season three of Trapped in which our puppets are featured. 

We have also recently begun creating our own digital content and animated short films to critical acclaim, and even a few new awards! Follow the link for more information. 

Hvammstangi International Puppetry Festival

HIP FEST was launched in 2020 in the midst of the corona virus crisis.  Each year the festival offers a selection of the world´s best puppetry theatre and workshops for all ages, along with social gatherings and networking opportunities for passionate amateurs and professionals. HIP Fest was awarded the prize for Best Cultural Project from the regional development fund SSNV in 2020.  We are now preparing for our 2021 edition, which will be held October 8th - 10th. We cannot wait to welcome you to our small corner of the world.