Sturla Gunnarsson

Sturla Gunnarsson, an accomplished Icelandic-Canadian film and television director and producer, was born in Reykjavík in nineteen fifty-one. At the age of seven, he relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, with his family. His passion for filmmaking blossomed during his formative years, leading him to pursue undergraduate studies in English literature and graduate work in film studies at the University of British Columbia.

During his graduate program, Gunnarsson produced a film titled A Day Much Like the Others, which garnered significant acclaim, winning top honors at both the Canadian Student Film Festival and the European Student Film Festival. The film was also showcased at the prestigious Museum of Modern Art in New York City, marking the beginning of his illustrious career in the film industry.

After completing his education, Gunnarsson moved to Toronto and began his professional journey at the National Film Board (NFB). His debut project, After the Axe, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature, setting the stage for a series of accolades throughout his career, including Emmy, Genie, and Gemini Awards, as well as the Prix Italia and the Prix Villes de Cannes.

One of his notable works, the documentary Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie, won the People's Choice Documentary Award at the two thousand ten Toronto International Film Festival. In two thousand eighteen, Gunnarsson collaborated with film and story editor Nick Hector to complete the film Sharkwater Extinction, following the untimely passing of Rob Stewart.