It starts with a tree. Two couples, different as can be, take part in the usual snide gossip regarding those who live next door. But when a confrontation centered around Inga and Baldvin’s tree, which is casting a shadow on their neighbors Konrad and Eybjorg’s porch, comes to a boiling point, things go from childish to catastrophic.

Iceland’s official submission to the 2018 Academy Awards, Under the Tree is a pitch-black comedy of manners. Filled with acerbic wit and expertly crafted pacing and plot escalation, it’s a stark reminder of how hard it can be for us to let the small things go, sometimes to the detriment of humanity.