High profile jury in the graduating film competition

During graduation tomorrow Saturday, we will as per tradition be awarding prizes for the best graduation films according to an outside jury. Four prizes will be awarded for the best films in each department and then the main award, “BJARKINN”, will be awarded to the best film from the spring graduates. 

The graduation group of spring 2018 is a plethora of talents and therefor the competition is close between the films. 

The school has worked since 2009 from the premise that an outside jury, formed by professionals in the front row of the Icelandic film and television industry, decides which films are chosen. Many of the elite artists in the field have been jury members for the school. By doing this, the school can put an emphasis on the productions being of enough quality for the best in the business. For the students the views and opinions of the successful people in the industry are valuable.  

The jury this spring is formed by the following persons that are in the front row of Icelandic film makers; Isold Uggadottir director (Jury forman), Agnes Johansen producer, Bjarni Felix Bjarnason cinematographer, Olafur Egilsson actor and screenwriter, and Hera Olafsdottir producer.

 Isold Uggadottir director

With her first film “And breathe normally”, that premiered last winter, immediately put Isold in the forefront of the younger generation of Icelandic directors. Isold has a long career of quality short films and a university degree from New York. 

Agnes Johanssen producer

Agnes has one of the most impressive filmography of Icelandic producers on IMDb of this century. From 2003 she has produced, or co-produced, 11 films and one grand television series. The latest being “Vargur” (directed by Borkur Sigthorsson) which is in cinemas right now. Among the films are “The Deep”, “The Groom”, “Reykjavik Rotterdam” and “Sumerland”. Agnes has worked with the companies of Baltasar Kormakur, director and film producer, through most of her career. 

Bjarni Felix Bjarnason cinematographer

Bjarni has shot 4 full length films and numerous documentaries. He has a wealth of experience in cinematography after more than 20 years in the field. 

Hera Olafssdottir producer

Hera has had varied producing experiences before she took on the role of purchasing manager of national and Scandinavian material for The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. We must mention that Hera is one of the people that has put her mark on The Icelandic Film School. As Department manager of Directing and Producing between 2009 and 2011, she played a major role in updating the curriculum and organisation of production process that have been a great success.  

Olafur Egilsson actor and screen writer

He is currently a script adviser for The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Known for his screen writing in the first series of “Trapped” and the film “The Oath”, which he co-wrote the script with Baltasar Kormakur. He recently received an award for the script of “Woman at war” at the Cannes film festival, which co-wrote with the films director. 

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It is an honor for the school that these experienced film makers have given their time to watch so many films, value them and judge, and reach a joint decision for the award. Finally we must mention that as a respected art school, IFS has a policy that competing in the arts is always relative. But competition is always encouraging, success can be sweet and defeat empowering, but above all one needs to not take the conclusion too seriously. 

We invite you to be a part of The Film Schools graduation of Spring 2018 at Bio Paradis, Saturday the 26th of May at 1 pm.