Rafmennt acquires Icelandic Film School after bankruptcy
The Icelandic Film School went into bankruptcy in March. Photo/Sent to mbl.is
The Icelandic Film School is set for a fresh start under new leadership, as Rafmennt—the educational center of the Electrical Industry—has officially taken over its operations following the school’s bankruptcy in March. However, students will have to bid farewell to the school's longtime premises on Suðurlandsbraut.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Rafmennt confirmed that it has purchased the school's name, trademark, equipment, and other assets from the bankruptcy estate. The move, described as a major step toward preserving film education in Iceland, follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the school's future.
Minister’s plan rejected
After the school filed for bankruptcy, the Minister of Education proposed transferring film studies to the Reykjavík Technical School. The plan, however, faced strong opposition from both the Icelandic Film School’s leadership and its student body, who ultimately rejected the offer.
Instead, the school’s estate reached an agreement with Rafmennt, triggering an immediate relocation process that began the evening of April 16 and continued into the next day.
Classes to resume soon
Meetings with students, staff, and teachers are scheduled for April 23 to discuss the transition and outline the next steps. Rafmennt aims to resume classes as soon as possible once the necessary preparations are complete.
In its announcement, Rafmennt also expressed its intention to support the school’s staff during the transition. It will assist in presenting claims to the bankruptcy estate and, if needed, seek compensation from the Wage Guarantee Fund.
A new chapter for film education
“The Rafmennt board sees this as an opportunity to promote film studies in Iceland,” the statement reads.
By integrating the Icelandic Film School’s curriculum with Rafmennt’s existing film technology programs and collaborating with other institutions in the field, the organization hopes to create a unified, forward-looking curriculum tailored to the evolving needs of the film industry.
