Jóhann Ævar Grímsson

Alumni

Jóhann Ævar Grímsson

European Showrunner Programme

Alumni

Writer | »Sisterhood«, »Stella Blomkvist«

Vita

Jóhann Ævar Grímsson is a seasoned professional in the Icelandic Film and TV industry. First making a name for himself with the award winning »Nightshift (Næturvaktin/Dagvaktin/Fangavaktin)« trilogy, and fantasy/romantic-comedy »Astropia« in 2007, Jóhann later went on to become the Head of Development at Sagafilm in 2014. With his work on various series such as »Pressa (Cover Story)«, »Trapped (Ófærð)«, »Thin Ice«, »Sisterhood (Systrabönd)« and »Stella Blomkvist«, Jóhann has become a mainstay on Icelandic screens. When not working on scripts, he likes to draw birds in suits and stare emptily into the air, with wild claims of it being really important to his ‘process’.

Nationality: Icelandic
Residence: Reykjavik, Iceland
Writing Language(s): Icelandic, English
Specialties: Drama, Crime, Thriller, Comedy

Sisterhood (Systrabönd) | 2021

Series | Iceland | Creator & Head Writer

Thin Ice | 2020

Series | Iceland, Sweden | Head Writer

Stella Blómkvist | 2017

Series | Iceland | Head Writer

Trapped (Ófærð) | 2016

Series | Iceland | Writer

Nightshift (Næturvaktin) | 2007

Series | Iceland | Head Writer

»Writing for television is an incredible privilege. While it might seem simplistic and naive of me, I honestly just want to make better television. That means in turn to answer the question »What is good television?«. We tell stories for a variety of reasons. And while escapism and entertainment can be just as important as serious social commentary, the main ingredient is always the expression of shared human experience. It is a cornerstone of the human condition and a raison d’être for the showrunner, in my opinion.«