What is the best thing that I love about my work? What I love most about my work is that filmmaking allows me to witness the world with uncommon attentiveness and to honor stories that might otherwise remain invisible. I cherish the intimacy of listening observing and shaping fragments of reality into something that breathes with meaning. Each film becomes a conversation between myself my subjects and the landscapes we share. I am drawn to the small delicate moments when life reveals itself without performance. The greatest joy comes when audiences feel emotionally recognized through my work when a film becomes a bridge between lives.

What is my idea of happiness? Happiness is the rare moment when purpose and intuition align when I am filming in a place that stirs my imagination surrounded by people who trust me with their stories. It is the quiet thrill of discovering a scenes emotional pulse in the edit or the momentum that arises from true collaboration. Happiness is also the freedom to keep exploring the questions that guide my practice without limitation or fear.

What is my greatest fear? My greatest fear is losing the curiosity that has shaped me since childhood the instinct to look closer ask questions and move through the world with wonder. I fear the disappearance of the natural landscapes that formed me and the stories that will vanish with them. And I fear a world where people stop listening to one another.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? I struggle with patience when bureaucratic or structural barriers slow down meaningful creative work. These delays often stand in contrast to the urgency of the stories I want to tell.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire? I admire filmmakers like Apichatpong Weerasethakul Chloe Zhao and Michelangelo Frammartino artists who expand cinematic language with bravery and tenderness. Their work reminds me that form can be both poetic and political intimate and expansive.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? I dislike the vulnerability of asking people to share their lives knowing that some stories no matter how deserving may never find the resources they need. At the same time I struggle with how difficult it can be to carve out stillness in a profession built on constant motion. Balancing care responsibility and momentum is one of the most complex aspects of documentary work.

When and where was I the happiest in my work? I am happiest when I am in the field filming with people moving through landscapes and letting the world reveal itself moment by moment. I love the research period when ideas are fluid and full of possibility and unexpected connections begin to emerge. I was profoundly happy filming in the Icelandic highlands where silence and vastness shaped my thoughts. I felt equally happy filming with Chicago communities who welcomed me with sincerity offering glimpses into the many ways people practice care and belonging. Both places remind me why I make films to witness to translate to connect.

If I could what would I change about myself? I would learn to rest without guilt to trust that pausing is not a detour from the creative path but an essential part of it.

What is my greatest achievement in work? My award winning documentary Minningaspor Memory Traces which won Best Icelandic Short at RIFF twenty twenty five and screened internationally is one of my proudest achievements. Directing the six part television series Heima exploring what home means across Iceland also shaped my artistic identity. Equally meaningful is the recognition I have received from the Fulbright Program the Leifur Eiriksson Foundation the American Scandinavian Foundation and the Gabriel Fellowship selective programs whose support affirmed my voice and enabled me to pursue ambitious globally engaged work across continents. My greatest achievement however may be the trust of the communities who let me film their lives.

Where would I most like to live? Reykjavik will always be my grounding place and Chicago has become an important artistic home for me. Moving between the two allows me to draw inspiration from both my roots and my evolving creative communities.

What is my most treasured possession? My most treasured possession is my collection of books and my archive of photographs from family and friends objects that hold memory lineage and the stories that shaped me.

What is my most marked characteristic? My most marked characteristic is the fusion of emotional sensitivity and artistic rigor. I observe with patience listen deeply and shape images with intentionality and care.

What is my most inspirational location in my city? In Chicago the lakefront is my sanctuary. Its shifting light and endless horizon remind me of the Icelandic coast.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink in my city? I gravitate toward warm neighborhood cafes and small restaurants where artists families and locals mingle places that feel lived in and welcoming. My neighborhood spot is Charmers Cafe though I also love discovering new eateries around my community.

What books influenced my life and how? Books like Annie Dillards Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and W G Sebalds The Rings of Saturn taught me that observation itself can be a form of storytelling. They shaped my belief that memory landscape and human experience are interconnected threads within the same tapestry.

You Only Die Once What music would I listen to on my last day? I would listen to Icelandic choral music or the compositions of Johann Johannsson music that holds both mourning and transcendence.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Sula Peace from Toni Morrisons novel Sula a woman defined by fierce independence emotional complexity and a refusal to conform has long inspired me. Her courage to live on her own terms reminds me of the quiet defiance required in artistic life.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? My heroes include the women who raised me environmental protectors who safeguard fragile ecosystems and the artists who risk telling difficult truths.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? Il Buco by Michelangelo Frammartino. Its meditation on scale silence and the unseen world feels like an act of grace.

What role play stories in my life and work? Stories help me make sense of impermanence how landscapes erode how families change how memory evolves. They guide me toward compassion and remind me that everything worth documenting is also fragile.

What do the words You are the storyteller of your own life mean to me? They remind me that agency is both a creative and a personal practice. It is an invitation to shape one’s path with intentionality to turn vulnerability into vision.

Who is my greatest fan sponsor partner in crime? I am deeply supported by my mentors collaborators and communities across Iceland and the United States. Their belief in my work has been as transformative as any award.

Which people or companies would I like to work with? I would be excited to collaborate with A24, POV, PBS, MUBI, Field of Vision, Participant, Netflix Documentary Films, The New Yorker Documentary, Sandbox Films, National Geographic Documentary Films

What project am I looking forward to work on? I am developing a new television series exploring queer migration and the search for belonging across borders a project that merges my documentary practice with my interest in identity movement and community formation. In parallel I am continuing work on a feature documentary about a queer collective in Chicago and my long term environmental film projects. Each of these works expands my interest in how people build home meaning and intimacy in changing worlds.

Where can you see me or my work? My film Memory Traces is beginning its festival run and will screen at various international festivals throughout 2026 before its national television broadcast on RUV the public service broadcaster of Iceland. My work has previously screened at the Reykjavik International Film Festival Chicago Filmmakers and other venues around the world. Trailers excerpts and updates can be found on my website and Vimeo www.grimairmudottir.com

What do the words Passion Never Retires mean to me? They remind me that passion is not a phase of life but a sustaining force. Creativity does not fade with age it evolves deepens and sharpens its sense of purpose. As long as I remain curious I will continue to create. Passion never retires is my commitment to lifelong learning lifelong wonder and lifelong expression.

Which creative professionals should Peter invite to tell their story? Shawn Antoine II

How can you contact me? You can reach me at grimairmudottir@gmail.com dot or through my professional website www.grimairmudottir.com