Ragnar Bragason (born 15 September 1971) is an

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

and producer.

Life and career

Droplaug was born in

Súðavík Súðavík () is a fishing village and municipality (Súðavíkurhreppur ) on the west coast of Álftafjörður in Westfjords, Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic ...

. He is best known for his films '' Börn'' (''Children'') and '' Foreldrar'' (''Parents''), both

Edda Award The Edda Award is an accolade bestowed annually by the Icelandic Film and Television Academy, and is the most prominent film and television award in Iceland, awarded annually in February. The ''Edda'' has awarded for outstanding work in various cat ...

winners, and the popular TV series ''

Næturvaktin ''Næturvaktin'' () is an Icelandic television series. It is the first in a trilogy, its sequels being ''Dagvaktin'' () and ''Fangavaktin'' (). The series was first shown in 2007 on Stöð 2, on Sundays from 16 September to 9 December. In th ...

'' (''The Night Shift''), ''

Dagvaktin ''Dagvaktin'' () is a sequel to the Icelandic television series ''Næturvaktin''. It is the second of the three series in the trilogy. The three main characters from ''Næturvaktin'', Georg Bjarnfreðarson (Jón Gnarr Jón Gnarr (; born Jón ...

'' (''The Day Shift''), and ''

Fangavaktin ''Fangavaktin'' () is the sequel to the Icelandic television series '' Dagvaktin'' and the final series in the trilogy. The three main characters from ''Næturvaktin'', Georg Bjarnfreðarson (Jón Gnarr), Ólafur Ragnar ( Pétur Jóhann Sigfússo ...

'' (''The Prison Shift''). Ragnar grew up in the village of Súðavík, in a family of fishermen and farmers. He got his start making short videos in college. After directing many music videos, shorts and documentaries, he released his first feature-film ''

Fíaskó ''Fíaskó'' (English title: ''Fiasco'') is an Icelandic film written and directed by Ragnar Bragason and released in 2000. Synopsis The film is divided into three chapters and looks at three generations of a family living under one roof in Re ...

'' (''Fiasco'') in 2000. In his earlier work he used traditional ways of writing and directing, but more recently Ragnar has followed methods similar to those of

Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English screenwriter, producer, director and former actor with a film, theatre, and television career spanning more than 60 years. His accolades include prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin In ...

and

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often self- ...

of working with his actors to create characters and screenplays through improvisation. His work has been nominated seventy-one times for the

Edda Awards The Edda Award is an accolade bestowed annually by the Icelandic Film and Television Academy, and is the most prominent film and television award in Iceland, awarded annually in February. The ''Edda'' has awarded for outstanding work in various cat ...

, the annual Icelandic film and TV awards, and has received the awards thirty two times. ''Fíaskó'' was awarded Special Jury Prize at the

Cairo International Film Festival The Cairo International Film Festival is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year since its inception, except for 2011 and 2013, when it was cancelled ...

in 2000. With the film ''Börn'' he won the Golden Swan for best film at

Copenhagen International Film Festival Copenhagen International Film Festival (CIFF) was a film festival held annually in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 2003 to 2008. The main prize, the Golden Swan, was awarded for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Script and Best C ...

in 2007 and the award for Best Direction at the

Transilvania International Film Festival The Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF; ) is the first international feature film festival in Romania, which is held annually in the historic capital of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca. Founded in 2002 by the Romanian Film Promotion (), TIFF ...

in 2007. His film, '' Málmhaus'' (''Metalhead''), had its world premiere at the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

2013 In 2012, Ragnar wrote and directed his debut play ''Gullregn'' (''Laburnum''), staged at The Reykjavik City Theater. The play received eight nominations for the Icelandic Performing Arts Awards 2013 and won two, among them Director of the Year. His second play, ''Óskasteinar'' (''Small Change''), also premiered at the Reykjavik City Theater and won best Supporting Actress at the Icelandic Performing Arts Awards 2014. His latest film, "Gullregn" ("Laburnum"), is based on the play he debuted in 2012.

Filmography (as director)

*''

'' (''Fiasco'') (2000) * "Aumingjaskápurinn" in ''Dramarama'' (2001) *'' Börn'' (''Children'') (2006) –

winner *'' Foreldrar'' (''Parents'') (2007) –

winner *''

'' (''The Night Shift'') (2007) *''

'' (''The Day Shift'') (2008) *''

'' (''The Prison Shift'') (2009) *''

Bjarnfreðarson ''Bjarnfreðarson'' is a 2009 Icelandic comedy film directed by Ragnar Bragason, director of the TV series trilogy consisting of ''Næturvaktin'', ''Dagvaktin'' and ''Fangavaktin'', to which it is a sequel. At its movie premiere, première in Ice ...

'' (2009) –

winner *''Heimsendir'' (''World's End'') (2011) *'' Metalhead'' (2013) *''

Gullregn ''The Garden'' () is a 2020 Icelandic film written and directed by Ragnar Bragason. It won the Edda Award for Best Film in 2020. See also * Cinema of Iceland Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atl ...

'' (''The Garden'') (2020) –

winner

References

* Cowie, Peter. 2000. ''Icelandic Films: 1980–2000''. Reykjavík: The Icelandic Film Fund.

External links

"Ragnar Bragason's ''Children'' Sweeps Iceland's Edda Noms" (Twitchfilm.net)

CHILDREN named one of ‘The 10 Best European Films of 2006’ by European-films.net

The Icelandic Film Centre, List of recipients 2007

Edda Awards, The annual film and TV awards in Iceland, List of recipients

Icelandic Film Center, entry for ''Fíaskó''
*
Laburnum on stage.is
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bragason, Ragnar 1971 births Living people

Ragnar Bragason Ragnar Bragason (born 15 September 1971) is an Icelandic film director, screenwriter and Film producer, producer. Life and career Droplaug was born in Súðavík, Iceland. He is best known for his films ''Children (2006 film), Börn'' (''Child ...