Gríma Irmudóttir is an Icelandic filmmaker and cinematographer currently based in Chicago, where she is pursuing her MFA in Documentary Media at Northwestern University as a Fulbright and Leifur Eiríksson Foundation fellow. Her work focuses on the emotional and political dimensions of environmental change, identity, and belonging—often blending observational storytelling with poetic visual language. She has worked across all aspects of nonfiction production, from independent feature films to broadcast television.
In 2022, she directed Heima, a series for Icelandic public television exploring what home means in a rapidly changing world. Her award-winning short film Náttúrubönd (2023) offers a meditative look at the human relationship with the Icelandic landscape, following four individuals as they navigate grief, connection, and ecological loss.
As a self-shooting director and producer, Irmudóttir brings a deeply collaborative and immersive approach to documentary filmmaking. She also works as a cinematographer and editor, with a particular interest in intimate, character-driven stories rooted in place.
Education
MFA, Northwestern University, Documentary Media
BA (Hons), University of the Arts London, Contemporary Media Cultures
Fellowships and Grants
2023-2025 Scholarship at Northwestern University (full tuition waiver and a stipend)
2024 Recipient of the American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) Fellowship.
2024 Recipient of the Leifur Eiríksson Fellowship for the 2024-2025 academic year.
2023 Recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year.
2020 Recipient of a monetary award from the National Bank of Iceland (Landsbankinn) for outstanding achievement in art studies.
2019 Recipient of a monetary award from the Bank of Iceland (Íslandsbanki) for exceptional achievement in higher education.
Related Employment
2024-2025 Teaching Assistant at Northwestern University, where I teach an intensive hands-on workshop on the fundamentals of filmmaking to undergraduate students.
2023-2024 Graduate Assistant - Assistant Editor at Northwestern University.
2023 Audio-Visual Technician in the Academic Affairs Division. University of Iceland.
2021-2023 Associate Producer, Research Associate and Camera Op at Krumma Films on Documentary film: ‘The Day Iceland Stood Still’
2022-2023 Associate Producer, Assistant Editor and Research Associate at Krumma Films on Documentary film: ‘My Sister-in-Law, the Prime Minister’
2021-2022 Director and Line Producer of Heima (Home), a 6 x 25-minute documentary TV series.
2021 Marketing Manager at Sagafilm Productions. My responsibilities included writing press releases, and the creation, and presentation of marketing campaigns.
2021 Art Department Coordinator for True North Productions on the film 'Suddenly'
2020-2021 Post-Production Coordinator at Sagafilm Productions. TV series: 'Stella Blómkvist' and Síminn Premium TV series: 'Sisterhood' - Síminn Premium and Via Play.
