Sturla Gunnarsson (born August 30, 1951) is an Icelandic-Canadian film and television director and producer. Gunnarsson was born in

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

in 1951. He moved to

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, with his parents when he was seven years old. As he grew up he became interested in

filmmaking Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

and went to the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

where he completed undergraduate studies in

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...

and graduate work in film studies. Part of the graduate program requires the production of a film. His, '' A Day Much Like the Others'', went on to win top honours at the Canadian Student Film Festival and the European Student Film Festival. It was also screened at New York City's

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

. With his formal education behind him, Gunnarsson moved to

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and worked initially at the

National Film Board The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

(NFB). His first NFB project, '' After the Axe'', received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

nomination for Best Documentary Feature. He has since won a number of awards including

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

, Genie Award and Gemini Awards, a

Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international television, radio-broadcasting and web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with th ...

, and the Prix Villes de Cannes. His documentary about David Suzuki, '' Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie'', won the People's Choice Documentary Award at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. In 2018, Gunnarsson worked with film and story editor Nick Hector to complete the movie '' Sharkwater Extinction'' after the death of Rob Stewart.

Features and TV movies

* '' A Day Much Like the Others'' (1979) * '' After the Axe'' (1982-P) * '' Final Offer'' (TV 1985-P) * '' Where Is Here?'' (1987-P) * ''

Diplomatic Immunity Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law by which certain foreign government officials are recognized as having legal immunity from the jurisdiction of another country.

'' (1991-P) * '' Scales of Justice'' (1991–95, TV): Episodes "Regina v Stewart", "Regina v Truscott", "Regina v Gamble & Nichols" * '' The Diary of Evelyn Lau'' (TV 1993) * '' We the Jury'' (TV 1996) * '' Mother Trucker: The Diana Kilmury Story'' (TV 1996) * '' Gerrie & Louise'' (1997) * '' Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way'' (TV 1997) * '' Such a Long Journey'' (1998) * '' Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story'' (TV 1999) * '' Ricky Nelson: Original Teen Idol'' (TV 1999) * '' Scorn'' (TV 2000) * '' Rare Birds'' (2001) * '' The Man Who Saved Christmas'' (TV 2002) * '' 100 Days in the Jungle'' (TV 2002) * '' Above and Beyond'' (TV 2005) * '' Beowulf & Grendel'' (2005-P) * '' Air India 182'' (TV documentary 2008) * '' Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie'' (2010) * '' Ice Soldiers'' (2013) * ''

Monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

'' (2014)

Awards

International Emmy Award The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York City, New York–based International Academy of Televisi ...

in 1997, for ''Gerrie & Louise'' * Genie Award in 1986, for ''Final Offer'' * Gemini Awards *

* Prix Villes de Cannes * Cadillac People's Choice Documentary Award 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 ...

in 2010, for ''Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie'' * Canada's Top Ten Film Festival People's Choice Award, awarded in January 2015 for ''

References

External links

* *Watch films by Sturla Gunnarsson at th
National Film Board of Canada
*Sturla Gunnarsson's personal websit

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunnarsson, Sturla 1951 births Sturla Gunnarsson Sturla Gunnarsson Sturla Gunnarsson Canadian documentary film directors Film producers from British Columbia Canadian television directors Directors of Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners for Best Documentary Film Film directors from Vancouver Living people National Film Board of Canada people Sturla Gunnarsson University of British Columbia alumni