Espen Sandberg

Espen Sandberg (born 2 June 1971) is a Norwegian film director and advertising producer, well known to work with his childhood friend and director Joachim Rønning on several projects such as Bandidas, Max Manus: Man of War (2008), Kon-Tiki (2012) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). He received a nomination at 85th Academy Awards as well as 70th Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film for directing 2012 movie Kon-Tiki with Rønning.

Early life and career

Espen Sandberg was born in Sandefjord, Norway on 17 June 1971.

2006–present In 2006, the duo directed the French-produced comedy western Bandidas in Mexico, starring Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz; it tells the tale of two very different women who become a bank robbing duo in an effort to combat a ruthless enforcer terrorising their town. In Norway, Rønning and Sandberg are best known for directing the 2008 blockbuster movie Max Manus: Man of War, with Aksel Hennie in the leading role; the story follows Manus (Aksel Hennie) from the Winter War against the Soviet Union, through the outbreak of World War II and the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany until peacetime in 1945. In the same year they won Lions at Cannes for their Hydro Commercials Train Loop. and the Norwegian Amanda Award.

Sandberg and Rønning directed the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).

Filmography

Director

Solo

Amundsen (2019, also executive producer) Infinite Worlds (2019, commercial)

with Joachim Rønning

Executive producer only

Beatles (2014, with Joachim Rønning) Cadaver (2020) Troll (2022) Christmas as Usual (2023)