Andri Snær Magnason

Andri Snær Magnason is an Icelandic writer and documentary filmmaker whose work spans poetry, non-fiction, children's literature, science fiction, theater, and film. Magnason studied Icelandic literature at the University of Iceland, earning a BA degree after publishing three books, including two poetry collections and a short story collection. He is the only author to have won the Icelandic Literary Prize in every category, and his work has been published or performed in more than 40 languages.

Magnason gained international attention with the children's book "The Story of the Blue Planet," the first children's book to receive the Icelandic Literary Prize. The book has been published in 30 countries and received the Janusz Korczak Honorary Award in Poland, the UKLA Award in the United Kingdom, and Children's Book of the Year in China. His science fiction novel "LoveStar" earned the Philip K. Dick Special Citation, the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for best international science fiction book in France, and was named Novel of the Year by Icelandic booksellers. The young adult novel "The Casket of Time" won the Icelandic Literary Award and the West Nordic Children's Book Award, and was nominated as the best fantasy book in Finland alongside authors including Ursula K. Le Guin and David Mitchell.

As a non-fiction writer and environmental activist, Magnason is known for "Dreamland — A Self Help Manual for a Frightened Nation," which critiques Iceland's energy policy and the environmental impact of the Kárahnjúkar dam. The book was adapted into a documentary film co-directed by Magnason. Footage from "Dreamland" and an interview with Magnason appear in Charles Ferguson's Academy Award-winning documentary "Inside Job." He received the Kairos Award from the Alfred Toepfer Institute in Hamburg for his contributions to culture and society.

Magnason's narrative non-fiction work "On Time and Water" explores climate change through language, memory, and mythology. The book has been translated into more than 30 languages, won the Tiziano Terzani Award in Italy, and was shortlisted for the Nordic Council's Literary Prize. Magnason wrote the memorial text for Ok glacier, the first Icelandic glacier lost to climate change, a eulogy that reached a global audience. The book inspired "Time and Water," a National Geographic documentary directed by Sara Dosa, which premiered at Sundance and has been featured at international film festivals.

Magnason is co-director, writer, or producer of four documentary films that have premiered at festivals including Sundance, IDFA, RIFF, CPH:DOX, and Hot Docs. His collaborators include Yo-Yo Ma, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and architect Bjarke Ingels. Magnason is a frequent keynote speaker at global events, including the PMAC medical conference in Bangkok and the SMI at Hampton Court Palace. He received the Writers Award from the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV. Through his writing, filmmaking, and public speaking, Magnason addresses topics such as climate change, mythology, memory, and the future, engaging audiences across cultures and generations.