Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon, a multifaceted individual with a rich cultural heritage, was born in the vibrant city of Reykjavik, Iceland, to a father who was a visionary playwright, film, and theatre director, and a mother who was a talented actress and visual artist.
His mother, a graduate of the prestigious GITIS acting school in Moscow, brought a wealth of experience and artistic flair to their family. Meanwhile, his father, a graduate of the legendary VGIK film school, was a master of his craft, with a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail.
It was at VGIK that the couple first met, setting the stage for a lifelong partnership that would be filled with creativity, passion, and a deep love for the arts.
Magnússon's early life was marked by a significant relocation, as his family packed up and left behind the Moscow of his youth to start anew in the vibrant city of Reykjavik, Iceland, a decision precipitated by his father's disillusionment with the ideals of the Soviet Union, a utopian dream that had once captivated his imagination.
Noted artist made a significant career move in 1989, uprooting himself from his familiar surroundings to relocate to the City of Light, Paris, where he enrolled at the prestigious Sorbonne University from 1989 to 1990, furthering his academic pursuits.
Following his stint at the Sorbonne, he went on to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fine arts at the esteemed Parsons Paris School of Art and Design from 1991 to 1996, his artistic talents and skills honed to perfection during this six-year period.
Since the completion of his formal education, his impressive body of work has been showcased in various galleries across the globe, including Iceland, Denmark, France, England, the United States of America, China, Argentina, Russia, and Siberia, a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft and his global recognition as a prominent figure in the art world.
Magnússon has been the recipient of numerous accolades and was honored with a nomination for the prestigious Nordic Council Film Prize in the year 2005 for his remarkable music documentary, Screaming Masterpiece, which prominently featured the renowned Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk and the critically acclaimed Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós.
The renowned filmmaker made his highly anticipated debut in the realm of narrative feature films with the premiere of his inaugural project, aptly titled "MIHKEL", at the prestigious 2018 Busan International Film Festival, a premier cinematic event held annually in South Korea, and subsequently at the esteemed Warsaw International Film Festival, a prominent film festival located in Poland.
The production of this cinematic masterpiece was a collaborative effort between a diverse array of esteemed entities, including Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, a renowned filmmaker in his own right, Evil Doghouse, Amrion Production, and Truenorth, each bringing their unique expertise and vision to the project.
In addition to the financial and logistical support provided by these production companies, the film also received full production support from KMÍ, the Icelandic film Centre, a premier institution dedicated to promoting and supporting the Icelandic film industry, and development support from the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, a prestigious initiative aimed at fostering the development of European film projects.
Magnússon's esteemed production company, Ergis Film Production, was founded in the year 2002, and since its inception, it has dedicated itself to producing documentaries that delve into the lives and creative processes of some of the most renowned artists in the world.
The individual in question has fostered a collaborative relationship with a diverse array of experienced professionals, comprising esteemed industry figures such as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, a renowned producer and film director, Sigurjón Sighvatsson, a prominent Los Angeles-based film producer, Jón Proppé, a skilled writer, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, a respected co-director of the prestigious Serpentine Gallery in London.
