Friðrik Þór Friðriksson (born 12 May 1954; pronounced ), sometimes credited as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, is an

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

ic film director and producer.

Biography

Fridriksson started his film making career with experimental films and documentaries in the early 1980s. In 1987, he founded The Icelandic Film Corporation that became Iceland's most important film production company. The company produces his films and works with other Icelandic directors as well as producers. His international reputation led the company to build a network of internationally well-established co-production partner companies, including

Lars von Trier Lars von Trier ('' né'' Trier; 30 April 1956) is a Danish filmmaker, actor, and lyricist. Having garnered a reputation as a highly ambitious, polarizing filmmaker, he has been the subject of several controversies: Cannes, in addition to nomina ...

's Zentropa and Francis Ford Coppola's

American Zoetrope American Zoetrope (also known as Omni Zoetrope from 1977 to 1980 and Zoetrope Studios from 1980 until 1990) is a privately run American film production company, centered in San Francisco, California and founded by Francis Ford Coppola and Georg ...

. He made his debut as a film director with '' Skytturnar'' (''White Whales'') in 1987. His second feature '' Children of Nature'' (1991) was nominated for an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

as Best Foreign Language Film (it was also Iceland's first nomination in this category). ''Children of Nature'' took the Grand Prize at the 4th

Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival The , also sometimes called YIFFF, is held in a resort-like environment in the small town of Yūbari on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaidō. From 1990 to 1999, the festival was known as the Yubari International Fantastic Adventure Fil ...

in February 1993. Friðrik also starred in

''s 2006 comedy film ''

The Boss of It All ''The Boss of It All'' ( da, Direktøren for det hele) is a 2006 experimental comedy film written and directed by Lars von Trier. The film uses a cinematic technique invented by von Trier himself called Automavision, which automatically determin ...

''. In 2010, he made a documentary '' A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism'' and a feature film '' Mamma Gógó''; both premiered at the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...

. ''A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism'' was nominated for the Voice award in 2010. In 2015, together with Bergur Bernburg he co-directed ''Sjóndeildarhringur'' (''Horizon''), a documentary about Georg Guðni Hauksson, which premiered at

Style

He grew up in Iceland and was largely influenced by American films. Despite that, it was exposure to the work of

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

and

Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle Jr., August 7, 1911 – June 16, 1979) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for the 1955 film '' Rebel Without a Cause.'' He is appreciated for many narrative features p ...

which proved crucial in his decision to become a filmmaker. He has worked with two of Iceland's most acclaimed novelists and script-writers. His work with Einar Már Guðmundsson includes ''Children Of Nature'', '' Angels of the Universe'', and '' Movie Days''. His work with Einar Kárason includes ''White Whales'', '' Devil's Island'', and ''

Falcons Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

''. Friðriksson is noted for the strong visual style of his films, including stunning images. These films are both deeply personal and strongly rooted in the culture of Iceland, often depicting characters at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. They are said to combine a wry sense of humour with a genuine solidarity with the characters.

Personal life

Friðriksson is interested in football and is a devoted fan of the Fram Reykjavík team.

Filmography

References

External links

*
Icelandic Film corporation
1954 births Living people Fridrik Thor Fridriksson Fridrik Thor Fridriksson Fridrik Thor Fridriksson {{iceland-film-director-stub