SF ShortsUnnur Screened Oct. 23-25
“It is a privilege to contemplate this enchanting portrait, balanced with modern reality, while traveling to sublime remote locations.” – F3 Film Magazine
Unnur USA, Iceland Documentary Film Website
Elli Thor is an Icelandic photographer, surfer, and former kayaker. A decade ago Elli nearly drowned under a waterfall while kayaking a challenging Icelandic river. The near death experience became a catalyst for personal growth and his professional career. After walking away from kayaking, a newfound passion for surfing and the birth of his daughter Unnur gave him a new perspective worth living for.
Elli Thor is an Icelandic photographer, surfer, and former kayaker. A decade ago Elli nearly drowned under a waterfall while kayaking a challenging Icelandic river. The near death experience became a catalyst for personal growth and his professional career. After walking away from kayaking, a newfound passion for surfing and the birth of his daughter Unnur gave him a new perspective worth living for.
DIRECTOR PROFILE
Chris Burkard
Director Bio : Chris Burkard is an accomplished explorer, photographer, creative director, speaker, and author. Traveling throughout the year to pursue the farthest expanses of Earth, Burkard works to capture stories that inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature, while promoting the preservation of wild places everywhere.
Layered by outdoor, travel, adventure, surf, and lifestyle subjects, Burkard is known for images that are punctuated by untamed, energized landscapes and peak moments of adventure. He has accumulated an audience of over one million followers to become a globally recognized social influencer.
Burkard is often central in synthesizing the creative projects he is involved in, across stakeholders. His holistic and visionary perspective has earned him opportunities to work on global, prominent campaigns with Fortune 500 clients, appear as a TED speaker, develop specialty product lines, teach national and international photography workshops and publish a collection of books, including a children’s book. Along with his team, Burkard is based out of his full-scale production studio and art gallery near his hometown in Central Coast California.
At the age of 33, Burkard has established himself as a global presence and influencer, accomplishing a prolific portfolio, connecting people from around the world and producing some of the most recognized creative work of our time.
Directors Statement : Often as a director you make a film about the most important things going on in your life through someone else’s eyes. For me the story of Elli Thor raising his daughter as a single parent is something near and dear to me. Growing up in a single parent home I watched my own mom balance the risks of raising me in a way that would allow me to carve my own path while not passing on an inherent fear of the unknown. This film is for everyone who hopes to raise kids and share with them the places and experiences they cherish most. It is a tribute to the complicated world of parenthood.
Director Bio : Chris Burkard is an accomplished explorer, photographer, creative director, speaker, and author. Traveling throughout the year to pursue the farthest expanses of Earth, Burkard works to capture stories that inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature, while promoting the preservation of wild places everywhere.
Layered by outdoor, travel, adventure, surf, and lifestyle subjects, Burkard is known for images that are punctuated by untamed, energized landscapes and peak moments of adventure. He has accumulated an audience of over one million followers to become a globally recognized social influencer.
Burkard is often central in synthesizing the creative projects he is involved in, across stakeholders. His holistic and visionary perspective has earned him opportunities to work on global, prominent campaigns with Fortune 500 clients, appear as a TED speaker, develop specialty product lines, teach national and international photography workshops and publish a collection of books, including a children’s book. Along with his team, Burkard is based out of his full-scale production studio and art gallery near his hometown in Central Coast California.
At the age of 33, Burkard has established himself as a global presence and influencer, accomplishing a prolific portfolio, connecting people from around the world and producing some of the most recognized creative work of our time.
Directors Statement : Often as a director you make a film about the most important things going on in your life through someone else’s eyes. For me the story of Elli Thor raising his daughter as a single parent is something near and dear to me. Growing up in a single parent home I watched my own mom balance the risks of raising me in a way that would allow me to carve my own path while not passing on an inherent fear of the unknown. This film is for everyone who hopes to raise kids and share with them the places and experiences they cherish most. It is a tribute to the complicated world of parenthood.