Synopsis

4 Reasons for Sharing is a documentary structured in four distinct chapters, each focusing on a different man across four generations. Through these men, the film explores the universal need to document, preserve and share life’s moments. Whether through home videos, storytelling or digital archives, each subject sheds light on how sharing is a bridge to connection, memory and identity. The form of the film mirrors its essence: fragmented yet interconnected, intimate yet expansive. It weaves together personal archives and modern reflections on why we choose to document our lives. Birthdays, dinners, breakups and failed dreams unfold in front of home cameras—filmed with no audience in mind, yet preserved for decades.

The film begins with Guðfinnur, born in 1945, whose meticulous recordings have quietly shaped his family’s identity for decades. From his children’s first steps to lovingly staged holidays, his footage becomes an archive of care. To Guðfinnur, filming is a ritual—a responsibility to ensure no moment is lost. “Everyday means nothing at the time,” he reflects, “but decades later, it's a treasure.” His recordings preserve a life’s small details, transforming the ordinary into something sacred.

Sævar, a middle-aged prison guard, uses his camera as both a shield and an invitation for connection. Alone on Christmas, he decorates his home, prepares a feast, and picks up the camera. “There’s still smoked lamb left,” he says with a mix of resignation and hope. For Sævar, filming is an act of quiet defiance against isolation. He reflects on loneliness not as a burden, but as something shared. “We’re all alone in our own way,” he says, “but connected by our rituals and stories.” Through his recordings, Sævar transforms solitude into something visible, something that might resonate with someone, somewhere.

Kári, a former aspiring opera singer, performs arias alone in his living room, dressed in a tuxedo. Life hums indifferently around him—his wife prepares dinner, and his son calls for a diaper change. Once training for a future on grand stages, Kári was forced to set aside his dreams, becoming a music teacher and later a taxi driver. His recordings are raw and unfiltered—a man performing not for fame but for survival. The grandeur of his voice clashes with the intimacy of the setting, creating moments both heartbreaking and triumphant. Today, Kári reflects on the dreams he sacrificed and the life he built instead—his low resolution home videos a testament to his passion and resilience.

In sharp contrast, Karl Emil, the youngest of the four, represents a new generation of self-documentarians. A polished yet troubled influencer, Karl’s videos project confidence, ambition, and success. Yet beneath this curated persona lies a very different reality—health struggles, social isolation, and aspirations slipping further out of reach. For Karl, filming becomes an act of control—a way to shape his narrative even as life refuses to cooperate. His story reveals the blurred line between truth and performance, leaving behind the question: Is this who I am, or who I want to be?

At its heart, 4 Reasons for Sharing explores the tension between memory and performance, authenticity and artifice. Guðfinnur’s archives preserve an idealized past, while Sævar’s recordings transform solitude into connection. Kári’s living room arias declare his presence, while Karl’s curated videos attempt to reclaim control and become something of value. Together, these stories reflect a universal impulse—to capture life’s fleeting moments and make them permanent.

The film also reflects on how technology has changed this act. Early home movies turned outward, focusing on landscapes and loved ones. Today, digital cameras and smartphones have turned the lens inward, making self-performance second nature. The line between the real and the constructed blurs, yet the need remains the same: to connect, to be remembered, and to make sense of our lives.

What makes 4 Reasons for Sharing so powerful is its refusal to simplify. It does not romantisize the past or condemn the present. Instead, it reveals humanity in the act of sharing itself. These stories remind us that filming is not only for others; it is also for ourselves. It is a way of saying: I was here. This mattered. Through the lens of these four men, the film becomes a meditation on why we record at all—an exploration of life’s small, ephemeral moments, and the universal desire to hold on to what matters most.

This impulse to document is not new. For decades, cameras have been tools for capturing fleeting moments, preserving memories, and giving our lives shape and meaning. What sets this film apart is its perspective. Instead of focusing on polished and performative content, 4 Reasons for Sharing turns its gaze to the imperfect, the private and the unseen. It explores four men who recorded their lives long before digital sharing became commonplace. They did not film for likes, followers or validation; they filmed to hold onto the people and moments they loved, to preserve meaning, and to make sense of their experiences. 

Are we filming to remember, or are we filming to rewrite?