Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson (born 27 February 1966) is an Icelandic actor, theatre and film director, and film producer. He directed the films 101 Reykjavík, The Sea, A Little Trip to Heaven, Contraband, 2 Guns, Everest, Touch, and the TV series Katla.
Early life and education Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. His father is the Spanish painter Baltasar Samper, and his mother is Kristjana Guðnadóttir Samper.
Career
In 1999, Baltasar founded the film production company Blueeyes with his then wife, Lilja Pálmadóttir. Agnes Johansen (1958–2025) was another producer at the company, and Daði Einarsson joined later.
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.
Baltasar's 2012 film The Deep was selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, making the January shortlist.
In January 2013, it was announced that a new film, Rocketman, would be produced by Baltasar with his partner Agnes Johansen, with Danish production company Nimbus Film co-producing. The film's expected release was 2015.
In February 2015, it was announced that his next film would be the crime-thriller The Oath, which is based on a script by actor Ólafur Egilsson.
In 2020, Baltasar began production of the Netflix science fiction series Katla.
His 2024 film Touch, based on the eponymous novel by Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, became the closing film at Filmfest München.
Personal life Baltasar's first wife was Lilja Pálmadóttir, and their son is actor Baltasar Breki Samper. In 2019, they announced their separation after a 20-year relationship. Later that year, newspapers reported that Baltasar had begun a relationship with set designer Sunneva Ása Weisshappel.
Filmography Film Year TitleDirectorProducerWriter 1996 Go LazyTown 2000 101 Reykjavík 2002 The Sea 2005 A Little Trip to Heaven 2006 Jar City 2008 White Night Wedding 2010 Inhale 2012 Contraband The Deep 2013 2 Guns 2015 Everest 2016 The Oath 2018 Adrift 2022 Beast 2024 Touch 2026 Apex 2027 The Big Fix
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)
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes1992 Wallpaper: Erotic Love Story Lass A Fairy of Our Time Short film 1995 Agnes Natan1996 Dream Hunters Gunnar Devil's Island Baddi 1999 Split Fridrik2000 Angels of the Universe Óli 101 Reykjavík Þröstur2001 No Such Thing Dr. Artaud Me and Morrison Askildsen Regina Ivan 2003 Stormy Weather Einar 2008 Reykjavík-Rotterdam Kristófer 2016 The Oath Finnur
Television Year TitleDirectorProducer Notes2013 Hulli The Missionary Television film 2015–2019 Trapped Also creator 2016 The Mayor 2021 Katla Also creator 2025 King & Conqueror Miniseries; episode: "Invitation"
Awards and honors YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultNotes2000Chicago International Film FestivalGold Hugo101 ReykjavíkNew Directors CompetitionEdda AwardsBest Supporting ActorAngels of the UniverseBest Film101 ReykjavíkShared with: Ingvar ÞórðarsonBest DirectorBest ScreenplayEuropean Film AwardsEuropean Discovery of the YearLocarno International Film FestivalGolden LeopardYouth Jury Award: Euro<26Lübeck Nordic Film DaysPrize of the Ecumenical JuryThessaloniki Film FestivalFIPRESCI Prize"For the homogeneous and literary treating of complicated contemporary sexual relationships with a sense of humour."Toronto International Film FestivalDiscovery AwardTied With George Washington2001Berlin International Film FestivalShooting StarBogota Film FestivalGolden Precolumbian Circle101 ReykjavíkBest filmBuenos Aires International Festival of Independent CinemaBest FilmPula Film FestivalBig Golden ArenaEuropean Competition: Best FilmRouen Nordic Film FestivalGrand Jury PrizeTbilisi International Film FestivalPrize of the Union of Georgian Filmmakers2002Edda AwardsBest ScreenplayThe SeaShared with: Ólafur Haukur SímonarsonBest FilmBest DirectorNordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntrySan Sebastián Film FestivalGolden Seashell2003Istanbul International Film FestivalGolden TulipFIPRESCI Prize"For its deep observation of social and cultural wounds of a disintegrating family faced with globalization."Tromsø International Film FestivalAudience Award2005Nordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntryDís Shared with: Silja Hauksdóttir (director, writer), Birna Anna Björnsdóttir (writer), Oddný Sturludóttir (writer) and Agnes Johansen (producer) 2006Cognac Festival du Film PolicierCritics AwardA Little Trip to HeavenEdda AwardsBest FilmJar CityShared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)Best DirectorGöteborg Film FestivalFIPRESCI PrizeA Little Trip to HeavenNordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntryShared with: Edward Martin Weinman (writer) and Sigurjón Sighvatsson (producer) 2007Jar CityShared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)Karlovy Vary International Film FestivalCrystal GlobeShared with: Lilja Pálmadóttir (producer) Don Quijote Award2008Edda AwardsBest FilmWhite Night WeddingNordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntryShared with: Ólafur Egilsson (writer), Agnes Johansen, Kim Magnusson, and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers) Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure FilmsGrand PrizeJar CityShared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)Best Direct2010Rouen Nordic Film FestivalYoung Audience AwardWhite Night Wedding2011Edda AwardsBest DirectorInhale2012Les Arcs European Film FestivalCrystal ArrowThe DeepMar del Plata Film FestivalBest Film2013Edda AwardsBest ScreenplayShared with: Jón Atli JónassonBest DirectorEuropean Film AwardsAudience AwardGöteborg Film FestivalDragon AwardBest Nordic FilmLocarno International Film FestivalVariety Piazza Grande Award2 GunsNordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntryThe Deep2014Göteborg Film FestivalNordic Honorary Dragon Award2015CinemaConInternational Filmmaker of the YearNordic Council Film PrizeIcelandic EntryVirgin Mountain2016San Sebastián Film FestivalGolden SeashellThe OathPrix EuropaBest Episode of a TV Fiction Series or SerialTrapped2017Edda AwardsTelevision Show of the YearShared with: Magnús Viðar SigurðssonBest FilmThe OathShare: Magnús Viðar SigurðssonBest DirectorScreenplay of the YearShared with: Ólafur Egilsson2024Nordic Council Film PrizeBest FilmTouchShared with: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Agnes Johansen2025Tromsø International Film FestivalAudience AwardPalm Springs International Film FestivalBest Foreign Language Film
References
External links
Baltasar Kormákur at AllMovie