Þráinn Bertelsson (born 30 November 1944) is an Icelandic film director, writer, politician, journalist and newspaper editor.
He moved into politics in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008, and was elected a member of the Althing in 2009, initially for the Citizens' Movement.
He later left the party to become an independent MP, before joining the Left-Green Movement, which he currently represents.
Þráinn has written, directed and produced seven feature films.
His 1981 film Jón Oddur & Jón Bjarni (English title: The Twins) won a Silver Award at the 1982 Giffoni Film Festival.
His 1989 film Magnús was nominated for two European Film Awards, for best picture and best script, and received the 1990 DV Cultural Prize in Iceland.
He was the first filmmaker to be granted a lifetime award by the Althing.
He was a co-founder of Norðan 8 and in 1982 founded his own film company, Nýtt líf (New Life Ltd.
).
He served a year as chairman of The Association of Icelandic Film Directors.
Ex-family man, avid womanizer, heavy-drinking, parliamentarian, Leifur, is forced to go into rehab by his political rival, following a well publicized art exhibition brawl. Full of denial, Leifur throws a party before checking in, but when it´s time to leave – very few do, turning the night into an adventure exclusively for those old enough to vote.
Magnús is a 45-year-old lawyer, whose routine is upset by the personal news that he is suffering from cancer. This causes Magnús to stop and think about himself, his life and his family. If his life is going to end sooner than he expected, he wants to know how much it's been worth to him. Has life been worth living? Is it worth fighting for; is it worth a struggle against death? He takes a look at his family, a group of ordinary people, who are the colourful heroes of everyday life, struggling along in a world far removed from the world of high finance, power politics and international intrigues, but yet to them their lives are lives of high adventure. Those adventures, from the sublime to the ridiculous, form the storyline of the film, told against the background of Magnús' dilemma.
The widow has inherited half of the farm, and is in league with a businessman from the village, who wants to buy the farm. Her purpose is to get her in-laws to sell her their share, and she is prepared to use any means to gain her ends. But soon she finds herself threatened by unknown persons or forces in the menacing winter landscape, to the point where her life is at stake.
This is the story of how Þór and Danni run a farm. They get a job running a farm for a local farmer that is going on a vacation to sweden, they of course pronouns them selfs as experts in the field of agriculture, witch they of course aren't. When they have managed to get the "hold" of things they get the brilliant idea to have a agricultural seminar for city people on the farm.
The film is the first of three about the misadventures of two friends, Þór and Danni. Two friends working at a restaurant get fired from their jobs and after seeing an advertisement for the fishing industry of the Westman Islands, decide to go there and make some money. The islands become a perfect setting for many funny and strange situations, especially after word gets around that the two are spies from the Ministry of Fisheries.