Baltasar Kormákur

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

• 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 — Bloodbath Godzilla — Yes — Yes — Yes
• 2010 — Inhale — Yes — No — No
• 2012 — Contraband — Yes — Yes — No
• 2012 — The Deep — Yes — Yes — Yes
• 2013 — 2 Guns — Yes — No — No
• 2015 — Everest — Yes — Yes — No
• 2016 — The Oath — Yes — Yes — Yes
• 2018 — Bloodbath Godzilla — Yes — Yes — No
• 2022 — Beast — Yes — Yes — No
• 2024 — Touch — Yes — Yes — Yes
• 2026 — Apex — Yes — Yes — No
• 2027 — The Big Fix — Yes — Yes — No

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

• 1992 — Wallpaper: Erotic Love Story — Lass
• 1992 — A Fairy of Our Time — Short film
• 1995 — Agnes — Natan
• 1996 — Dream Hunters — Gunnar
• 1996 — Devil's Island — Baddi
• 1999 — Split — Fridrik
• 2000 — Angels of the Universe — Óli
• 2000 — 101 Reykjavík — Þröstur
• 2001 — No Such Thing — Dr. Artaud
• 2001 — Me and Morrison — Askildsen
• 2001 — Regina — Ivan
• 2003 — Stormy Weather — Einar
• 2008 — Reykjavík-Rotterdam — Kristófer
• 2016 — The Oath — Finnur

Television

• 2013 — Hulli — No — Executive
• 2013 — The Missionary — Yes — No — Television film
• 2015–2019 — Trapped — Yes — Yes — Also creator
• 2016 — The Mayor — No — Yes
• 2021 — Katla — Yes — Yes — Also creator
• 2025 — King & Conqueror — Yes — Yes — Miniseries; episode: "Invitation"

Awards and honors

• 2000 — Chicago International Film Festival — Gold Hugo — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated — New Directors Competition
• 2000 — Edda Awards — Best Supporting Actor — Angels of the Universe — Nominated
• 2000 — Edda Awards — Best Film — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated — Shared with: Ingvar Þórðarson
• 2000 — Edda Awards — Best Director — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated
• 2000 — Edda Awards — Best Screenplay — 101 Reykjavík — Won
• 2000 — European Film Awards — European Discovery of the Year — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated
• 2000 — Locarno International Film Festival — Golden Leopard — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated
• 2000 — Locarno International Film Festival — Youth Jury Award: Euro<26 — 101 Reykjavík — Won
• 2000 — Lübeck Nordic Film Days — Prize of the Ecumenical Jury — 101 Reykjavík — Won
• 2000 — Thessaloniki Film Festival — FIPRESCI Prize — 101 Reykjavík — Won — "For the homogeneous and literary treating of complicated contemporary sexual relationships with a sense of humour."
• 2000 — Toronto International Film Festival — Discovery Award — 101 Reykjavík — Won — Tied With George Washington
• 2001 — Berlin International Film Festival — Shooting Star — Won
• 2001 — Bogota Film Festival — Golden Precolumbian Circle — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated — Best film
• 2001 — Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema — Best Film — 101 Reykjavík — Nominated
• 2001 — Pula Film Festival — Big Golden Arena — 101 Reykjavík — Won — European Competition: Best Film
• 2001 — Rouen Nordic Film Festival — Grand Jury Prize — 101 Reykjavík — Won
• 2001 — Tbilisi International Film Festival — Prize of the Union of Georgian Filmmakers — 101 Reykjavík — Won
• 2002 — Edda Awards — Best Screenplay — The Sea — Won — Shared with: Ólafur Haukur Símonarson
• 2002 — Edda Awards — Best Film — The Sea — Won
• 2002 — Edda Awards — Best Director — The Sea — Won
• 2002 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Icelandic Entry — The Sea — Nominated
• 2002 — San Sebastián Film Festival — Golden Seashell — The Sea — Nominated
• 2003 — Istanbul International Film Festival — Golden Tulip — The Sea — Nominated
• 2003 — Istanbul International Film Festival — FIPRESCI Prize — The Sea — Won — "For its deep observation of social and cultural wounds of a disintegrating family faced with globalization."
• 2003 — Tromsø International Film Festival — Audience Award — The Sea — 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
• 2006 — Edda Awards — Best Film — Jar City — Won — Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)
• 2006 — Edda Awards — Best Director — Jar City — Won
• 2006 — Göteborg Film Festival — FIPRESCI Prize — A Little Trip to Heaven — Won
• 2006 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Icelandic Entry — A Little Trip to Heaven — Nominated — Shared with: Edward Martin Weinman (writer) and Sigurjón Sighvatsson (producer)
• 2007 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Icelandic Entry — Jar City — Nominated — Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)
• 2007 — Karlovy Vary International Film Festival — Crystal Globe — Jar City — Won — Shared with: Lilja Pálmadóttir (producer)
• 2007 — Karlovy Vary International Film Festival — Don Quijote Award — Jar City — Won
• 2008 — Edda Awards — Best Film — White Night Wedding — Won
• 2008 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Icelandic Entry — White Night Wedding — Nominated — Shared with: Ólafur Egilsson (writer), Agnes Johansen, Kim Magnusson, and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)
• 2008 — Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films — Grand Prize — Jar City — Won — Shared with: Agnes Johansen and Lilja Pálmadóttir (producers)
• 2008 — Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films — Best Direct — Jar City — 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
• 2012 — Mar del Plata Film Festival — Best Film — The Deep — Nominated
• 2013 — Edda Awards — Best Screenplay — The Deep — Nominated — Shared with: Jón Atli Jónasson
• 2013 — Edda Awards — Best Director — The Deep — Won
• 2013 — European Film Awards — Audience Award — The Deep — Nominated
• 2013 — Göteborg Film Festival — Dragon Award — The Deep — Nominated — Best Nordic Film
• 2013 — Locarno International Film Festival — Variety Piazza Grande Award — 2 Guns — Nominated
• 2013 — 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
• 2015 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Icelandic Entry — Virgin Mountain — Won
• 2016 — San Sebastián Film Festival — Golden Seashell — The Oath — Nominated
• 2016 — Prix Europa — Best Episode of a TV Fiction Series or Serial — Trapped — Won
• 2017 — Edda Awards — Television Show of the Year — Trapped — Won — Shared with: Magnús Viðar Sigurðsson
• 2017 — Edda Awards — Best Film — The Oath — Nominated — Share: Magnús Viðar Sigurðsson
• 2017 — Edda Awards — Best Director — The Oath — Nominated
• 2017 — Edda Awards — Screenplay of the Year — The Oath — Nominated — Shared with: Ólafur Egilsson
• 2024 — Nordic Council Film Prize — Best Film — Touch — Nominated — Shared with: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Agnes Johansen
• 2025 — Tromsø International Film Festival — Audience Award — Touch — Won
• 2025 — Palm Springs International Film Festival — Best Foreign Language Film — Touch — Won