Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson is an Icelandic actor, theatre and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films 101 Reykjavík, The Sea, A Little Trip to Heaven, Contraband, 2 Guns, Everest, Touch, and the TV series Katla.
Baltasar Kormákur | |
|---|---|
 Baltasar in 2022 | |
| Born | Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson 27 February 1966 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Alma mater | Iceland University of the Arts |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Children | Baltasar Breki Samper |
| Website | rvkstudios |
Early life and education
editBaltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. His father is the Catalan painter Baltasar Samper.[citation needed]
Career
editIn 1999, Baltasar founded the film production company Blueeyes with his wife Lilja Pálmadóttir. Agnes Johansen is another producer at the company, and Dadi Einarsson joined later.[1]
For his film Jar City, Baltasar won the Crystal Globe award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2007.
In December 2011, the production of drama film Rocketman was announced, with Baltasar Kormákur and Dagur Kári set to direct.[2][3]
Baltasar's 2012 film The Deep was selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards,[4] making the January shortlist.[5]
In January 2013, it was announced that a new film, Rocketman, would be produced by Baltasar with his partner Agnes Johansen,[6] with Danish production company Nimbus Film co-producing. The film's expected release was 2015.[1]
In February 2015, it was announced that his next film would be the crime-thriller The Oath,[7] which is based on a script by actor Ólafur Egilsson.[8]
In 2020, Baltasar began production of the Netflix science fiction series Katla.[9]
His 2024 film Touch became the closing film at Filmfest München.[10]
Personal life
editBaltasar's wife is Lilja Pálmadóttir,[1] and their son is actor Baltasar Breki Samper.[citation needed]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Credited as | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | Writer | ||
| 1996 | Go LazyTown | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2000 | 101 Reykjavík | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2002 | The Sea | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2005 | A Little Trip to Heaven | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2006 | Jar City | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2008 | White Night Wedding | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Inhale | Yes | No | No |
| 2012 | Contraband | Yes | Yes | No |
| The Deep | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2013 | 2 Guns | Yes | No | No |
| 2015 | Everest | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2016 | The Oath | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2018 | Adrift | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2022 | Beast | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2024 | Touch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Producer only
- Pop in Reykjavík (1998) (Documentary)
- Stormy Weather (2003)
- Dís (2004)
- The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (2008) (Executive producer)
- Reykjavík-Rotterdam (2008)
- Summerland (2010)
- Virgin Mountain (2015)
- Vultures (2018)
- Against the Ice (2022)
Television
edit| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | |||
| 2013 | Hulli | No | Executive | |
| The Missionary | Yes | No | TV movie | |
| 2015–2019 | Trapped | Yes | Yes | Creator |
| 2016 | The Mayor | No | Yes | |
| 2021 | Katla | Yes | Yes | Directed 4 episodes |
| TBA | King and Conqueror | Yes | Yes | |
Acting credits
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Wallpaper: Erotic Love Story | Lass | |
| A Fairy of Our Time | — | Short film | |
| 1995 | Agnes | Natan | |
| 1996 | Dream Hunters | Gunnar | |
| Devil's Island | Baddi | ||
| 1999 | Split | Fridrik | |
| 2000 | Angels of the Universe | Óli | |
| 101 Reykjavík | Þröstur | ||
| 2001 | No Such Thing | Dr. Artaud | |
| Me and Morrison | Askildsen | ||
| Regina | Ivan | ||
| 2003 | Stormy Weather | Einar | |
| 2008 | Reykjavík-Rotterdam | Kristófer | |
| 2016 | The Oath | Finnur |
Awards and honors
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Chicago International Film Festival | Gold Hugo | 101 Reykjavík | Nominated | New Directors Competition |
| Edda Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Englar Alheimsins | Nominated | ||
| Best Film | 101 Reykjavík | Nominated | Shared with: Ingvar Þórðarson | ||
| Best Director | Nominated | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Won | ||||
| European Film Awards | European Discovery of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Locarno International Film Festival | Golden Leopard | Nominated | |||
| Youth Jury Award: Euro<26 | Won | ||||
| Lubeck Nordic Film Days | Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Won | |||
| Thessaloniki Film Festival | FIPRESCI Prize | Won | "For the homogeneous and literary treating of complicated contemporary sexual relationships with a sense of humour." | ||
| Toronto International Film Festival | Discovery Award | Won | Tied With George Washington | ||
| 2001 | Berlin International Film Festival | Shooting Star | Won | ||
| Bogota Film Festival | Golden Precolumbian Circle | 101 Reykjavík | Nominated | Best film | |
| Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema | Best Film | Nominated | |||
| Pula Film Festival | Big Golden Arena | Won | European Competition: Best Film | ||
| Rouen Nordic Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize | Won | |||
| Tbilisi International Film Festival | Prize of the Union of Georgian Filmmakers | Won | |||
| 2002 | Edda Awards | Best Screenplay | The Sea | Won | Shared with: Ólafur Haukur Símonarson |
| Best Film | Won | ||||
| Best Director | Won | ||||
| Nordic Council Film Prize | Icelandic Entry | Nominated | |||
| San Sebastián Film Festival | Golden Seashell | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | Istanbul International Film Festival | Golden Tulip | Nominated | ||
| FIPRESCI Prize | Won | "For its deep observation of social and cultural wounds of a disintegrating family faced with globalization." | |||
| Tromsø International Film Festival | Audience Award | Won | |||
| 2005 | Nordic Council Film Prize | Icelandic Entry | Dís | Nominated | Shared with: Silja Hauksdóttir (director, writer), Birna Anna Björnsdóttir (writer), Oddný Sturludóttir (writer) and Agnes Johansen (producer) |
| 2006 | Cognac Festival du Film Policier | Critics Award | A Little Trip to Heaven | Won | |
| Edda Awards | Best Film | Jar City | Won | Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers) | |
| Best Director | Won | ||||
| Göteborg Film Festival | FIPRESCI Prize | A Little Trip to Heaven | Won | ||
| Nordic Council Film Prize | Icelandic Entry | Nominated | Shared with: Edward Martin Weinman (writer) and Sigurjón Sighvatsson (producer) | ||
| 2007 | Jar City | Nominated | Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers) | ||
| Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Crystal Globe | Won | Shared with: Lilja Pálmadóttir (producer) | ||
| Don Quijote Award | Won | ||||
| 2008 | Edda Awards | Best Film | White Night Wedding | Won | |
| Nordic Council Film Prize | Icelandic Entry | Nominated | Shared with: Ólafur Egilsson (writer), Agnes Johansen, Kim Magnusson, and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers) | ||
| Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films | Grand Prize | Jar City | Won | Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers) | |
| Best Direct | Won | ||||
| 2010 | Rouen Nordic Film Festival | Young Audience Award | White Night Wedding | Won | |
| 2011 | Edda Awards | Best Director | Inhale | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Les Arcs European Film Festival | Crystal Arrow | The Deep | Nominated | |
| Mar del Plata Film Festival | Best Film | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Edda Awards | Best Screenplay | Nominated | Shared with: Jón Atli Jónasson | |
| Best Director | Won | ||||
| European Film Awards | Audience Award | Nominated | |||
| Göteborg Film Festival | Dragon Award | Nominated | Best Nordic Film | ||
| Locarno International Film Festival | Variety Piazza Grande Award | 2 Guns | Nominated | ||
| Nordic Council Film Prize | Icelandic Entry | The Deep | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Göteborg Film Festival | Nordic Honorary Dragon Award | Won | ||
| 2015 | CinemaCon | International Filmmaker of the Year | Won |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Oscar Hopeful Baltasar Kormakur to Produce Dagur Kari's 'Rocketman'". The Wrap. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 January 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "Dagur Kari writing Icelandic film Rocket Man; Baltasar Kormakur to produce". screendaily.com. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "Contraband Director Baltasar Kormakur to Produce ROCKET MAN". filmofilia.com. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "Djúpið framlag Íslands til Óskarsverðlaunanna". svarthofdi.is. 25 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
- ^ "9 Foreign Language Films Vie For Oscar". Oscars. Archived from the original on 1 October 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- ^ "Baltasar Kormakur to produce Dagur Kari's Rocketman". screendaily.com. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "The Oath". thewrap.com. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "The Oath". RVK Studios. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ Sperling, Nicole (15 May 2020). "Two Projects Are Filming Again. Here's How They're Doing It". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ Economou, Vassilis (18 June 2024). "Filmfest München unveils its full programme". Cineuropa. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
