Jens Jonsson
Jens Jonsson has in a very short time established himself as one of Scandinavia’s most internationally recognised directors. His debut film The King of Ping Pong won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival 2008. The film also won the award for best cinematography. He has previously won acclaim for a number of short films; Bror Min won the Silver Bear in Berlin, Reparation and K-G for Better or for Worse both won silver medals in Cannes. His films have been honoured with their own separate showcases at, among others, the Tampere International Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film festival, Stockholm Cinemateque, Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival, São Paulo International Short Film Festival, Cork International Film Festival, Gothenburg Film Festival, International Short Film Festival in Leuven, Belgium, and most recently at the Huesca Film Festival in Spain. Born in Umeå in 1974, he first enrolled at Konstfack (The University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm) (1994-1998) and then went on to study film direction at the Dramatiska Institutet (University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre in Stockholm) (1998- 2002), during which time he madeReparation (2001) and K-G for Better or for Worse (2002), among others, both of which won the silver medal at Cannes, Cinéfondation, two years in a row. This led to the prestigious French grant, ” La Résidence du Festival de Cannes”, the following year. He also directed Brother of Mine, which won the Silver Berlin Bear (2002), the Prix UIP, Grimstad Norway 2002, Best International Short Film, Capalbio, Rome 2002, Best Short Film, Palm Springs Festival 2002, among others.The Spade, which won the Best Live Action Short Film Award, Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, 2003, the Jameson Award, Umeå Film Festival, 2003, among others. The following year he directed Headway, which won the Ung Filmblick, Umeå Film Festival, 2003, Guldbagge nomination 2003, Grand Prix Tampere, 2004, Audience Award, 2004, and then went on to direct Fragile, which won the Great Prize Fiction – Vila do Conde International Short Film Festival 2004, Grand Prix – Odense International Film Festival 2004 , Short Film Award at the Gothenburg Film Festival among others. He received Guldbagge nominations two years in a row with Headway and Fragile. Jens also directed the critically acclaimed Good Morning Children, winner of the Ikaros award and best director at the TV Festival in Reims. He also writes scripts for other directors, Ciao Bella, which competed in the Berlinale 2008 and was screened in the Variety Critics’ Choice at Karlovy Vary. His script for A Rational Solution was directed by debut feature film director Jörgen Bergmark. The project won the CineMart in Rotterdam in 2007 and was invited to compete in the International Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival 2009. The film was released in Italy, Germany and Denmark and will now tour the international film festival circuit throughout the coming year. It already has received the “Georges Delerue Prize “ for Best Music at 2009 Ghent International Filmfestival and the “NDR Award” for Best Film at the 2009 Lübeck Film Days. His script “IN” directed by Adam Berg , winner of the 2009 Film Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, won Novellfilmspriset 2011. In 2013 Jens wrote and directed the third installment of ”SNABBA CASH – LIFE DELUX” (Easy Money) . The trilogy has been very successful internationally.
