Andri Snær Magnason is an Icelandic writer and documentary film director born in Reykjavik on the 14th of July 1973. His book, On Time and Water was a national best seller in Iceland in 2019 and will be translated to more than 30 languages. On Time and Water in shortlisted for the Nordic Councils Literary Prize of 2021. Andri has written novels, poetry, plays, short stories and essays. He is a popular public speaker, with sold out performances in The Reykjavik City Theatre. He is the codirector with Þorfinnur Guðnason of the documentary film Dreamland. His second documentary film directed with Anni Ólafsdóttir – The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole – a Bipolar Musical Documentary with Elephants internationally premiered at CPH:DOX 2021. His third documentary is in the making to be premiered in 2021 also with Anni Ólafsdóttir: Apausalypse.
Andri’s work has been published or performed in more than 40 countries. His novel, LoveStar got the Philip K Dick Special Citation 2013, and the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire in France for best translated Science Fiction of 2016. LoveStar was chosen “Novel of the year” by Icelandic booksellers and received the DV Literary Award. His most recent children’s/YA Book, The Casket of Time, won the Icelandic literary Award and was nominated for the Nordic Council Children’s book Award and has been sold to 14 countries. His children’s book, The Story of the Blue Planet, was the first children’s book to receive the Icelandic Literary Prize and has been published or performed in 40 countries. The Story of the Blue Planet received the Janusz Korczak Honorary Award 2000 the West Nordic Children’s Book Prize 2002, The Green Earth Honour Award 2013, the UKLA Award in 2014 in the UK, and Children’s book of the Year in China 2019. The Blue Planet has been performed in theatres in Greece, Finland, Denmark, Swiss, Iceland and Canada. Andri has collaborated with various artists in the fields of activism, science, architecture, visual art, music, theatre and documentary film. Andri has been active in the fight against the destruction of the Icelandic Highlands. His book – Dreamland – a Self Help Manual for a Frightened Nation takes on these issues. His text for the memorial of Ok glacier became widely read around the world.
Dreamland has been published in English, Danish, German, Spanish and Japanese and has become a feature length documentary film. Footage from Dreamland and an interview with Andri can be seen in Charles Ferguson’s Oscar winning documentary – Inside Job. Andri can be contacted here: andrimagnason (at) gmail.com. Andri Magnason is the winner of the Kairos Award of 2010 – granted by the Alfred Toepfer institute in Hamburg.
Andri ran for President of Iceland in 2016 with environmental issues on his agenda and came third. Andri lives in Reykjavík, he has four children.