Karl Martin Emanuel Söderberg, later known as Martin Munthe, was born in Malmö, Sweden in 1970. His biological father, Lasse Söderberg, was a poet who played a significant role in introducing renowned writers like Octavio Paz to the attention of the Nobel Prize in Literature through his translations into Swedish.
Munthe's early childhood was spent in Paris, where his mother, Ingrid, a model, shared an apartment with supermodel Twiggy. As a baby, he was surrounded by prominent figures in the fashion circuit, including Roman Polanski and Miles Davis. Anette Lykke Lundberg, a famous Swedish film editor, served as his babysitter in Paris, and later, Rolf Sohlman followed him around different movie sets, particularly those of Hasse & Tage.
Munthe's stepfather, Lorne Munthe de Wolfe, a Swedish pop star, entered his life early on, and he had a baby sister, Lisa Munthe, who is also a director. The family eventually moved back to Sweden, where Munthe grew up in Stockholm.
Initially, Munthe wanted to become a cartoonist, but through a childhood friend, he started making Super 8 movies. His friend's father, film director Jonas Cornell, and their family, who were neighbors to actor Gösta Ekman, were instrumental in his early exposure to the film industry. Munthe's fascination with filmmaking only intensified after having small "elevator talks" with his neighbor, Stellan Skarsgård, about what made movies interesting and good.
Munthe's family was deeply rooted in the arts, with his grandparents being close friends to Harry Schein, the founder of the Swedish Film Institute. This artistic heritage likely played a significant role in shaping his passion for filmmaking.
In the 1990s, Munthe established himself as one of Sweden's most prominent music video directors, working with numerous stars of the era, including Denniz Pop, who founded Cheiron Studios, where producer Max Martin got his start. Munthe collaborated with many producers surrounding that time and place, including Dr. Alban.
For several years, Munthe attempted to produce his first feature film, starring actor Ernst-Hugo Järegård, but the project never came to fruition. In 2000, his first feature film, Hjärta av Sten, was released theatrically. Munthe has been heavily involved with visual effects and emerging digital technologies throughout his career, as well as working in the advertising industry. He has taken on various roles, including second unit director and cinematographer, and has worked with many of the current successful Hollywood Swedes.
Hjärta av Sten introduced actor Michael Nyqvist to the screen and re-introduced actor Brasse Brannström after a twenty-year hiatus from the movie industry. Munthe is married to film critic Emma Gray Munthe and has a daughter named Ava.
