Katrin Ottarsdóttir facts for kids
Katrin Ottarsdóttir (born in 1957) is a famous Faroese movie director and author. She is known for making films and writing books that often feature the unique landscapes and people of the Faroe Islands.
About Katrin Ottarsdóttir
Katrin Ottarsdóttir grew up in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. When she was young, there was no television, so she loved going to the cinema. In 1976, she moved to Denmark to study film. She was the first person from the Faroe Islands to go to the film school in Copenhagen, and she finished her studies in 1982.
Katrin writes her own movie scripts and also directs her films. This means she creates the story and then brings it to life on screen. For her film Atlantic Rhapsody, she was both the director and the producer. This film won a top award at the Nordische Filmtage film festival in 1989.
Many actors in Katrin's films are from the Faroe Islands. This is because the islands have many skilled actors who love theater. The beautiful and unique scenery of the Faroe Islands is also a big part of her movies.
Her film Bye Bye Bluebird won important awards in 1999 and 2000. It received the top prize at Nordische Filmtage and the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Katrin's daughter, Hildigunn Eyðfinnsdóttir (born in 1975), played the main character in this film.
From 2007 to 2009, Katrin worked on three special films. These films were like portraits of Faroese artists. She directed, filmed, and edited all three of them by herself. The first film was about the sculptor Hans Pauli Olsen. The second was about the poet and painter Tóroddur Poulsen. The third film was about the writer Jóanes Nielsen.
Besides making films, Katrin Ottarsdóttir is also a writer. In 2011, she published some poems in a Faroese magazine. In 2012, she released her first book of poems called Eru koparrør í himmiríki? (Are there copper tubings in Heaven?). She published another poetry book in 2015. In 2016, she released her first collection of short stories, which was later translated into Danish. In 2020, Katrin published her first novel, Gentan í verðini (The Girl in the World). This story is told from the viewpoint of a lively and curious little girl visiting her grandparents.
Films by Katrin Ottarsdóttir
Here are some of the films Katrin Ottarsdóttir has made:
- 2014 – Ludo (a feature film)
- 2011 – Memories From an Apartment (a film installation)
- 2011 – Budam: Last Song (a music video)
- 2010 – Sporini vaksa úr orðum (a film about writer Jóanes Nielsen)
- 2008 – A Line A Day Must Be Enough! (a documentary)
- 2008 – No One Can Achieve Perfection (a documentary)
- 2003 – Regin smiður (a dance film)
- 1999 – Bye Bye Bluebird (a feature film)
- 1995 – The Man Who Was Allowed to Leave (a short film)
- 1991 – Hannis (a children's short film)
- 1989 – Atlantic Rhapsody (a feature film)
Awards and Honours
Katrin Ottarsdóttir has received many awards for her work:
- 2018 – She received a three-year grant from the Faroese government's cultural fund. A grant is like a special award of money that helps artists continue their work.
- 2015 – She was given a lifelong yearly grant from the Faroese government. This special award is called Sømdargáva landsins.
- 2013 – She won the Faroese Literature Prize for her book of poems, Eru koparrør í himmiríki (Are there any copper tubings in Heaven?).
- 2007 – She received another three-year grant from the Faroese government's cultural fund.
- 2000 – Her film Bye Bye Bluebird won the Tiger Award at the international film festival in Rotterdam. Her daughter, Hildigunn Eyðfinnsdóttir, played the main role in this film.
- 2000 – Bye Bye Bluebird also won the Audience Award and Youth Jury Award at a French film festival in Rouen.
- 1999 – Bye Bye Bluebird won the first prize at the German film festival Nordische Filmtage in Lübeck.
- 1989 – Her film Atlantic Rhapsody won the first prize at the German film festival Nordische Filmtage in Lübeck.
