Sigurjón Sighvatsson

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Sigurjón Sighvatsson (born 15 June 1952), also known as Joni Sighvatsson, is a veteran Icelandic film producer and businessman, born in Reykjavík, June 15, 1952. Sighvatsson graduated with BA in English and literature from the University of Iceland and MFA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Sighvatsson is the Icelandic Consul General in Los Angeles (honorary).

[edit] Producer filmography

The Good Heart (2008) (pre-production) (executive producer)
The Last Winter (2006) (executive producer), starring Julia Stiles and Forest Whitaker, directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle (2006) (producer)

... aka Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (International: English title)

Destricted (2006) (executive producer)
Diva 51 (2006) (executive producer)
A Little Trip to Heaven (2005) (producer)
Gargandi snilld (2005) (producer) (as Sigurjón Sighvatsson)

... aka Screaming Masterpiece (International: English title)

Pretty Persuasion (2005) (executive producer) (as Joni Sighvatsson)
Everything in This Country Must (2004) (executive producer)
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) (producer)

... aka K*19: The Widowmaker (USA: poster title) ... aka K-19 - Showdown in der Tiefe (Germany) ... aka K-19: Terreur sous la mer (Canada: French title)

The Weight of Water (2000) (producer)

... aka Poids de l'eau, Le (Canada: French title) (France)

Passion of Mind (2000) (executive producer)
Arlington Road (1999) (executive producer)
200 Cigarettes (1999) (executive producer)
Phoenix (1998) (executive producer)
Homegrown (1998) (executive producer)
Polish Wedding (1998) (executive producer)
A Thousand Acres (1997) (producer)
The Real Blonde (1997) (executive producer)
'Til There Was You (1997) (executive producer)
Going All the Way (1997) (producer)
Box of Moon Light (1996) (executive producer)
Basquiat (1996) (producer)

... aka Build a Fort, Set It on Fire

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996) (executive producer)

... aka Brain Candy (USA: short title) ... aka Kids in the hall: La pilule du bonheur (Canada: French title) ... aka Pilule du bonheur, La (Canada: French title: short title)

Lord of Illusions (1995) (producer)

... aka Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions

Canadian Bacon (1995) (executive producer)
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) (producer)

... aka Candyman II: Farewell to the Flesh

A Pig's Tale (1995) (V) (executive producer)

... aka Summer Camp

S.F.W. (1994) (executive producer)

... aka So Fucking What? (USA: long title)

Ewangelia wedlug Harry'ego (1994) (executive producer)

... aka Desert Lunch ... aka The Gospel According to Harry ... aka Waiting for Halley's Comet (International: English title)

Dream Lover (1994) (producer)
Dead Connection (1994) (executive producer)

... aka Final Combination (UK) ... aka Lights Out

Kalifornia (1993) (producer)
"Tales of the City" (1993) (mini) TV Series (executive producer)

... aka Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City

Stuttur Frakki (1993) (associate producer) (as Sigurjón Sighvatsson)

... aka Behind Schedule (International: English title)

Candyman (1992) (producer)

... aka Clive Barker's Candyman (USA)

A Stranger Among Us (1992) (producer)

... aka Close to Eden (Australia) (UK: cable TV title)

Ruby (1992) (producer)
Memphis (1992) (TV) (executive producer)
Red Rock West (1992) (producer)
Coca Cola Pop Music Backstage Pass to Summer (1991) (TV) (co-executive producer)
Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) (supervising producer)

... aka In Bed with Madonna (Australia) (UK) ... aka Truth or Dare

Pantera: Cowboys from Hell (1991) (V) (executive producer) (as Joni Sighvatsson)
Ryð (1990) (producer)

... aka Rust

"Beverly Hills, 90210" (producer) (1 episode, 1990)

  Class of Beverly Hills (1990) TV Episode (producer)

Heat Wave (1990) (TV) (executive producer)
Wild at Heart (1990) (producer)

... aka David Lynch's Wild at Heart (USA)

Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? (1990) (producer)
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted (1990) (TV) (executive producer)
Fear, Anxiety & Depression (1989) (producer)
Kill Me Again (1989) (producer)
The Blue Iguana (1988) (producer)

... aka Iguana azul, La (Mexico)

Teen Steam (1988) (V) (executive producer: Propaganda Films)

... aka Alyssa Milano's Teen Steam (USA: complete title)

Aria (1987) (associate producer) (segment "Liebestod")
P.I. Private Investigations (1987) (producer)

... aka Private Investigations (USA: short title)

American Drive-In (1985) (associate producer)

[edit] Producer biography

Joni Sighvatsson is a veteran producer, with over 30 feature films and television series to his credit, as well as an innovative and influential principal in creating the modern concept of the commercial and the music video. Before coming to the United States, Sighvatsson enjoyed a successful career as a rock musician in his native Iceland, founding the country's first recording studio when he was 21. After finishing his B.A. in English and Literature from the University of Iceland, Sighvatsson came to Los Angeles on a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of Southern California Graduate Film Studies Program, where he earned his MFA. After USC, Sighvatsson was invited to join the Directors Program at the American Film Institute. With fellow AFI student Steve Golin, Sighvatsson founded Propaganda Films in 1986, which quickly became the leading music video and commercial production company in the world, earning over 50 MTV awards as well as numerous Grammys and Clios. The company expanded into feature films with such fare as "Red Rock West" and "Kalifornia," and won the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for "Wild At Heart." At Propaganda, Sighvatsson launched the careers of such directors as David Fincher, Michael Bay and Spike Jonze. Sighvatsson has also been involved with numerous television shows, including the Emmy-nominated "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City," the innovative series "Twin Peaks," the triple ACE Award-winning anthology series "Fallen Angels," the quadruple ACE-winning "Heat Wave," as well as the popular "Beverly Hills 90210." In 1995, Sighvatsson became the founding president of Lakeshore Entertainment, where he produced or executive produced films such as "Polish Wedding," "Going All The Way," "Box of Moonlight," "200 Cigarettes" and "Arlington Road." He also acquired and developed such films as "The Mothman Prophecies", "L'Apartmente", and "Runaway Bride". In 1999, Sighvatsson became the controlling shareholder in Palomar Pictures, a leading production company of music videos, television commercials, and long form projects. At Palomar a company that earned over 20 MTV awards itself, Sighvatsson cultivated and new generation of top directors, including Joseph Kahn, Gary McKendry, and Marcos Siega. While at Palomar, Sighvatsson also produced "The Weight of Water" starring Sean Penn and Elizabeth Hurley as well as "K-19: the Widowmaker" starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. Sighvatsson also served as president of the American Cinemateque in Hollywood from 1994 to 1999. Sighvatsson's many honors include Peabody Awards for "Rock The Vote"and "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City," as well as being the only person to twice receive the Eastman/Kodak Award for Outstanding Achievement by the Music Video Producers Association. He serves and has served on the boards of numerous organizations including the AICP (Association of Independent Commercial Producers), the American Cinematheque, the American-Scandinavian Foundation, the ACLU of Southern California, and the Ocean Park Community Center. He is also the Honorary Consul General for Iceland in Los Angeles. Currently, Sighvatsson is preparing a slate of over twenty films. Soon to begin preproduction are "Elling", a remake of the Oscar nominated feature film to be directed by Jay Roach, and "The Knockout Artist", based on the cult classic by Harry Crewes, to be directed by Sean Penn, and "Devil in the White City" to be directed by Kathryn Bigelow, written by Christopher Kyle, and based on the best-seller by Erik Larson. Additionally, Sighvatsson continues to be a significant force in the world of art films. After having paved the way for visual artists moving into feature films with Julian Schnabel's highly acclaimed "Basquiat", Sighvatsson has now again paved the way with the timely and groundbreaking "Zidane, a 21st Century Portrait" as well as the controversial "Destricted", a collection of short films by some of the leading artists in the world focusing on the concept of pornography.