Jonas Åkerlund

Jonas Åkerlund is an internationally awarded director of feature films, documentaries, music videos, commercials, and concert films. His unique storytelling and distinct visual style push the boundaries of the status quo, and have throughout his distinguished career.

He has brought his distinct, stylized, auteur approach to several feature films including the cult classic ‘Spun’, the graphic-novel adaptation ‘Polar,’ which stars Mads Mikkelsen and aired with acclaim on Netflix, and the bone-chilling ‘Lords of Chaos,’ which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was described as “a pitch-perfect black metal dramedy” in Variety.

Jonas has directed numerous, visually stunning music videos with notable artists including Madonna, Beyoncé, Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Prodigy, Ozzy Osbourne, and U2 (among others) – along with iconic concert films like the critically acclaimed “Rammstein: Paris,” Paul McCartney’s “Live Kisses,” Beyoncé and Jay Z’s “On The Run”, Taylor Swift’s “1989 World Tour,” and Madonna’s “Confessions Tour.” He also was one of the visionaries behind the Emmy Award winning visual album – Beyoncé: Lemonade.

Combining his renowned work in music with his singular approach to storytelling, Jonas has created several music-driven documentaries for notable artists worldwide, including Madonna, Metallica, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, and Usher.

His exceptional work on Madonna’s “Ray of Light” music video won Jonas his first Grammy Award in 1999, and he has since earned three more Grammys for his work with Beyoncé, Madonna, and Paul McCartney.

In addition, his commercials, music videos, and concert films have been recognized with a variety of awards, including the Addy, Cannes Gold Lion, Cannes Grand Prix, Icon, and MTV Video Music Awards, along with the prestigious MVPA Hall of Fame Award.

With a love of the arts, Jonas endeavors to explore all facets and mediums in the art world. His projects have been exhibited in Frankfurt, Seoul and Stockholm. He also created and directed a circus in Stockholm. His still photography has been featured on numerous album covers and in magazines. Jonas directed “Place” featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Ana Laguna for television, made an introduction film “ABBA World” dedicated to the famous Swedish pop group Abba, and collaborated with well-known artist Francesco Vezzoli to direct “Moca,” a film about the musical held at the Los Angeles Moca museum’s 30th anniversary which featured Lady Gaga and the Ballet Russo. Recently, he directed the upcoming dance film “DuEls,” collaborating with acclaimed, international choreographer Damien Jalet.

Jonas’ latest work ‘Clark’ – a Netflix drama series starring Bill Skarsgård, premiered to worldwide acclaim in May 2022.

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