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==Biography==
==Biography==
Sigurjon (Joni) Sighvatsson, a veteran producer with over 50 feature films, television series, and documentaries to his credit, is the principle of Palomar Pictures, an independent production company, as well as the Chairman of the Scandinavian film distributor and producer Scanbox Entertainment.
Sigurjón Sighvatsson was born in [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]], the son of Sigurborg Sigurjonsdottir and Sighvatur Karlsson.<ref name=filmr>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/66/Sigurjon-Sighvatsson.html |title=Sigurjon Sighvatsson Biography (1952-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-11}}</ref> He immigrated to the United States in 1978.<ref name=filmr/> He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in English and literature from the [[University of Iceland]] and an [[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]] from the [[University of Southern California]] in Los Angeles.


Sighvatsson has worked with some of the most successful filmmakers in the industry, including David Lynch, Kathryn Bigelow, Jim Sheridan, Julian Schnabel, and multiple Academy Award nominees and winners. Among his films are The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, Brothers, Z for Zachariah, and Killer Elite, as well as classics such as Wild at Heart, Arlington Road, and Basquiat.
He began his professional film career as a co-founder of [[Propaganda Films]], which revolutionized the commercial and music video industries before moving into feature film production. While at Propaganda, he worked with future directing stars such as [[David Fincher]], [[Michael Bay]] and [[Spike Jonze]] and produced such films as [[David Lynch]]'s ''[[Wild at Heart (film)|Wild at Heart]]'', ''[[Madonna: Truth or Dare]]'', ''[[Kalifornia]]'', ''[[Basquiat (film)|Basquiat]]'', ''[[Candyman (1992 film)|Candyman]]'', ''[[Red Rock West]]'' and ''[[A Thousand Acres]]''. Additionally, he produced the modern television classic David Lynch's ''[[Twin Peaks]]'' and was one of the original producers on the original ''[[Beverly Hills 90210]]'' series. He then served as the first president of [[Lakeshore Entertainment]], where he oversaw and/or executive produced such films as ''[[Arlington Road]]'', ''[[Runaway Bride (1999 film)|Runaway Bride]]'', ''[[The Mothman Prophecies]]'', ''[[200 Cigarettes]]'', ''[[Homegrown (film)|Homegrown]]'', and ''[[Polish Wedding]]''.


Sighvatsson also 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 also produced the groundbreaking Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait as well as the controversial Destricted, a collection of short films by some of the world's leading artists focusing on the concept of pornography.
He is the principal of [[Palomar Pictures (Sighvatsson company)|Palomar Pictures]], an independent film production company in Los Angeles. His current project ''[[Killer Elite (film)|Killer Elite]]'' was released September 23, 2011. He also produced ''[[Brothers (2009 film)|Brothers]]'', ''[[Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait]]'', ''[[Screaming Masterpiece]]'', ''[[A Little Trip to Heaven]]'', ''[[K-19: The Widowmaker]]'' and ''[[The Weight of Water]]'', ''[[The Good Heart]]'', ''[[The Last Winter (2006 film)|The Last Winter]]'', ''[[Destricted]]'' and ''[[Pretty Persuasion]]''. He will produce the [[Julie Kagawa]] [[young adult fiction]] novel Blood of Eden.<ref name=palo>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/54997/palomar-pictures-ready-spill-blood-eden |title=Palomar Pictures Ready to Spill the Blood of Eden |publisher=Dread Central |date= |accessdate=2012-04-25}}</ref>


Before coming to the United States, Sighvatsson enjoyed a successful career as a musician in his native Iceland, founding the country's first recording studio at the age of 21. After finishing a B.A. in Literature from the University of Iceland, Sighvatsson came to Los Angeles on a Fulbright Scholarship to earn his MFA in the Graduate Film Studies program at USC. He then was invited to and joined the Director's Program at the American Film Institute.
Sigurjón is the [[Iceland]]ic [[Consul General]] in [[Los Angeles]] (honorary). He owns clothing manufacturer 66°NORTH.

In 1986, Sighvatsson co-founded Propaganda Films, which quickly became the leading music video and commercial production company in the world before expanding into feature films with Red Rock West, Kalifornia, and David Lynch's Wild At Heart which won the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. 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 cult classic "Twin Peaks," the triple ACE Award-winning anthology series "Fallen Angels," the quadruple ACE-winning "Heat Wave," as well as the popular original "Beverly Hills 90210". In 1995, Sighvatsson became the founding president of Lakeshore Entertainment, where he produced or executive produced films such as Polish Wedding, 200 Cigarettes and Arlington Road.

In 1999, Sighvatsson became the controlling shareholder in Palomar Pictures, another pioneer in music videos and television commercials and cultivated a new generation of top directors including Joseph Kahn, Gary McKendry and Marcos Siega. In 2006 Sighvatsson acquired Scanbox Entertainment, a leading Scandinavian film distributor as well as heritage clothing company 66 North in Iceland, which he built into an award winning international outdoor brand.

Sighvatsson has served in various industry and civic organizations including, as president of the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, and as a board member of the AICP (Association of Independent Commercial Producers), the American-Scandinavian Foundation, the ACLU of Southern California, the Ocean Park Community Center, and currently serves on the Hammer Museum Board of Overseers. Sighvatsson is also the Honorary Consul General for Iceland in Southern California.


==Producer selected filmography==
==Producer selected filmography==

Revision as of 18:30, 29 August 2019

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Sigurjón.
Sigurjón Sighvatsson
Born (1952-06-15) 15 June 1952 (age 72)
Reykjavík, Iceland
EducationAFI Conservatory

Sigurjón Sighvatsson (born 15 June 1952), also known as Joni Sighvatsson, is an Icelandic Hollywood film producer and businessman.

Biography

Sigurjon (Joni) Sighvatsson, a veteran producer with over 50 feature films, television series, and documentaries to his credit, is the principle of Palomar Pictures, an independent production company, as well as the Chairman of the Scandinavian film distributor and producer Scanbox Entertainment.

Sighvatsson has worked with some of the most successful filmmakers in the industry, including David Lynch, Kathryn Bigelow, Jim Sheridan, Julian Schnabel, and multiple Academy Award nominees and winners. Among his films are The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, Brothers, Z for Zachariah, and Killer Elite, as well as classics such as Wild at Heart, Arlington Road, and Basquiat.

Sighvatsson also 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 also produced the groundbreaking Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait as well as the controversial Destricted, a collection of short films by some of the world's leading artists focusing on the concept of pornography.

Before coming to the United States, Sighvatsson enjoyed a successful career as a musician in his native Iceland, founding the country's first recording studio at the age of 21. After finishing a B.A. in Literature from the University of Iceland, Sighvatsson came to Los Angeles on a Fulbright Scholarship to earn his MFA in the Graduate Film Studies program at USC. He then was invited to and joined the Director's Program at the American Film Institute.

In 1986, Sighvatsson co-founded Propaganda Films, which quickly became the leading music video and commercial production company in the world before expanding into feature films with Red Rock West, Kalifornia, and David Lynch's Wild At Heart which won the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. 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 cult classic "Twin Peaks," the triple ACE Award-winning anthology series "Fallen Angels," the quadruple ACE-winning "Heat Wave," as well as the popular original "Beverly Hills 90210". In 1995, Sighvatsson became the founding president of Lakeshore Entertainment, where he produced or executive produced films such as Polish Wedding, 200 Cigarettes and Arlington Road.

In 1999, Sighvatsson became the controlling shareholder in Palomar Pictures, another pioneer in music videos and television commercials and cultivated a new generation of top directors including Joseph Kahn, Gary McKendry and Marcos Siega. In 2006 Sighvatsson acquired Scanbox Entertainment, a leading Scandinavian film distributor as well as heritage clothing company 66 North in Iceland, which he built into an award winning international outdoor brand.

Sighvatsson has served in various industry and civic organizations including, as president of the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, and as a board member of the AICP (Association of Independent Commercial Producers), the American-Scandinavian Foundation, the ACLU of Southern California, the Ocean Park Community Center, and currently serves on the Hammer Museum Board of Overseers. Sighvatsson is also the Honorary Consul General for Iceland in Southern California.

Producer selected filmography

References

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