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- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Victor Sjöström was born on September 20, 1879, and is the undisputed father of Swedish film, ranking as one of the masters of world cinema. His influence lives on in the work of Ingmar Bergman and all those directors, both Swedish and international, influenced by his work and the works of directors whom he himself influenced.
As a boy Sjöström was close to his mother, who died during childbirth when he was seven years old. Biographers see this truncated relationship as being essential to the evolution of his dramatic trope of strong-willed, independent women in his films. He was masterful at eliciting sensitive performances from actresses, such as that of Lillian Gish in his American classic The Wind (1928).
The teenaged Sjöström loved the theater, but after his education he turned to business, becoming a donut salesman. Fortunately for the future of Swedish cinema, he was a flop as a salesman, and turned to the theater, becoming an actor and then director. The Swedish film company Svenska Bio hired him and fellow stage director Mauritz Stiller to helm pictures, and from 1912-15 he directed 31 films. Only three of them survive (it is estimated that approximately 150,000 films, or 80% of the total silent-era production, has been lost). He directed Ingeborg Holm (1913), considered the first classic of Swedish cinema.
Despite the exigencies of working in an industrial art form, most Svenska Bio films of this period are embarrassments in an artistic sense--turgid melodramas, absurd romances and shaggy dog-style comedies--and there is no reason to think that the director didn't helm his share of such fare. Even taking that into account, Sjöström managed to develop a personal style. The reason he became internationally famous (and wooed by Hollywood) was the richness of his films, which were full of psychological subtleties and natural symbolism that was integrated into the works as a whole. He dealt with such major themes as guilt, redemption and the rapidly evolving place of women in society.
His 1920 film The Phantom Carriage (1921) (a.k.a. "Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness") was an internationally acclaimed masterpiece, and Goldwyn Pictures hired him to direct Name the Man! (1924) (Goldwayn was folded into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1924, where he worked until shortly after the advent of sound). Sjöström's name was changed to "Victor Seastrom" (a phonetic pronunciation in a country with limited word fonts), and he became a major American director, a pro-to David Lean, who was renowned for balancing artistic expression with a concern for what would play at the box office. His first MGM film was the Lon Chaney melodrama He Who Gets Slapped (1924). It was not only a critical success but a huge hit, getting the new studio off onto a sound footing.
He was highly respected by MGM chief Louis B. Mayer and by production head Irving Thalberg, who shared Sjöström's concerns with art that did not exclude profit. Sjöström became one of the most highly paid directors in Hollywood, reaching his peak at the end of the silent era (when the silent film reached its maturation as an art form) with two collaborations with Lillian Gish: The Scarlet Letter (1926) and "The Wind" (1926), his last masterpiece.
He departed Hollywood for Sweden after A Lady to Love (1930), returning one last time to helm Under the Red Robe (1937) for 20th Century-Fox, and although he made two movies in Sweden in the intervening years, his career as a director basically ended with the sound era. He returned to his first avocation, acting in Swedish films, in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. In his later years he was a mentor to Ingmar Bergman and gave a remarkable performance in Bergman's masterpiece "Wild Strawberries" (1957), for which he won the National Board of Review's Best Actor Award. In his professional life he was a workaholic, and in his private life was reticent about his films and his fame and remained intensely devoted to his wife Edith Erastoff and his family.
Victor Sjöström died on January 3, 1960, at the age of 80.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Moshe "Mauritz" Stiller, born July 17, 1883, in Helsinki, Finland, was a director, writer and actor. He began his artistic activity in the theatre, as an actor at 16. Mauritz Stiller portrayed 87 roles from 1899-1916 and directed 16 productions 1911-28. Together with Viktor Sjöström ( director, actor, writer) he was recruited in 1912 as director/actor to the Swedish film industry by Charles Magnusson at AB Svenska Biografteatern. Mauritz Stiller's films was instantly successful. During his first year he directed six feature films. "Herr Arnes pengar" (1919), "Erotikon" (1920) and "Gösta Berlings saga" (1923) are three cornerstones of Swedish film production. In "Gösta Berlings saga" Greta Garbo, 18 years old, made her first major role. Greta Garbo and Mauritz Stiller came to be best friends and allies forever. Stiller introduced Garbo to the German audience in 1925, before the two sailed of to the USA to make "The Temptress" for Paramount/Irving Thalberg in 1926. Mauritz Stiller directed 51 feature films and appeared as an actor in seven productions from 1912-1927. At 1:05 am Nov 8, 1928, Mauritz Stiller died in Stockholm, after undergoing numerous surgeries, an abscess of a lung ended a great artist's life.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was born July 14, 1918, the son of a priest. The film and T.V. series, The Best Intentions (1992) is biographical and shows the early marriage of his parents. The film Sunday's Children (1992) depicts a bicycle journey with his father. In the miniseries Private Confessions (1996) is the trilogy closed. Here, as in 'Den Goda Viljan' Pernilla August play his mother. Note that all three movies are not always full true biographical stories. He began his career early with a puppet theatre which he, his sister and their friends played with. But he was the manager. Strictly professional he begun writing in 1941. He had written a play called 'Kaspers död' (A.K.A. 'Kaspers Death') which was produced the same year. It became his entrance into the movie business as Stina Bergman (not a close relative), from the company S.F. (Swedish Filmindustry), had seen the play and thought that there must be some dramatic talent in young Ingmar. His first job was to save other more famous writers' poor scripts. Under one of that script-saving works he remembered that he had written a novel about his last year as a student. He took the novel, did the save-poor-script job first, then wrote a screenplay on his own novel. When he went back to S.F., he delivered two scripts rather than one. The script was Torment (1944) and was the fist Bergman screenplay that was put into film (by Alf Sjöberg). It was also in that movie Bergman did his first professional film-director job. Because Alf Sjöberg was busy, Bergman got the order to shoot the last sequence of the film. Ingmar Bergman is the father of Daniel Bergman, director, and Mats Bergman, actor at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theater. Ingmar Bergman was also C.E.O. of the same theatre between 1963-1966, where he hired almost every professional actor in Sweden. In 1976 he had a famous tax problem. Bergman had trusted other people to advise him on his finances, but it turned out to be very bad advice. Bergman had to leave the country immediately, and so he went to Germany. A few years later he returned to Sweden and made his last theatrical film Fanny and Alexander (1982). In later life he retired from movie directing, but still wrote scripts for film and T.V. and directed plays at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre for many years. He died peacefully in his sleep on July 30, 2007.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Ernest Florman was born on 20 September 1862 in Karlstad, Värmlands län, Sweden. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Sköna Helena (1903), The Village (1897) and Akrobat med otur (1897). He died on 15 December 1952.- Actor
- Director
Carl Engdahl was born on 17 April 1864 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was an actor and director, known for Värmlänningarne (1910), Bröllopet på Ulfåsa (1910) and Fänrik Ståls sägner (1910). He died on 20 September 1939 in Stockholm, Sweden.- Gustav Lind is known for All Inclusive (2017).
- Director
- Actress
- Writer
Anna Hofman-Uddgren was born on 23 February 1868 in Stockholm, Sweden. She was a director and actress, known for Fröken Julie (1912), Stockholmsfrestelser eller Ett Norrlands-herrskaps äventyr i den sköna synderskans stad (1911) and Blott en dröm (1911). She died on 1 June 1947.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Georg af Klercker in Kristianstad, was a Swedish director, screenwriter and actor. He was originally a military lieutenant at the Svea Life Guards, but resigned in 1907 because he was more interested in the world of theater. After a brief period with a touring company he was hired as an actor by the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. In 1911 he became the studio manager at Svenska Bio. In 1912 the French screenwriter and director Paul Garbagni was in Sweden shooting The Springtime of Life (I lifvets vår). What distinguishes this film is that the male leads were played by Victor Sjöström, Mauritz Stiller and Georg af Klercker, the three filmmakers who a few years later would form the backbone of the phenomenon known as the Golden Age of Swedish cinema. Georg af Klercker made his first feature film the same year and had his first hit with the short "Dödsritten under cirkuskupolen/ The Last Performance". He was at the height of his career as a director between 1915 and 1917. In 1916 alone he made 14 films, a workload that probably contributed to the nervous breakdown he had at the end of that year. The next year he confined himself to a 'mere' 9 films, ending his career as a director in 1918. After some time, he returned to the theater as an actor, moved to Malmö where he died in 1951.- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Ivan Hedqvist was born on 8 June 1880 in Gottröra, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was an actor and director, known for Doktorns hemlighet (1930), Till österland (1926) and The Downy Girl (1919). He died on 23 August 1935 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
John W. Brunius was born on 26 December 1884 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was a director and writer, known for En lyckoriddare (1921), Kärlekens ögon (1922) and Längtan till havet (1931). He was married to Levin, Wiola and Pauline Brunius. He died on 17 December 1937 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Rune Carlsten was born on 2 July 1890 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was an actor and director, known for Den allvarsamma leken (1945), The Young Nobleman (1924) and Högre ändamål (1921). He was married to Dora Söderberg. He died on 12 October 1970 in Täby, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
He attended the Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school 1907-1909 and went on to become an actor at the same theatre 1913-1926. His first work for the movies was the script to Wanted - A Film Actress (1917) and the follow-up Thomas Graals bästa barn (1918). He made his directing debut with Bodakungen (1920). During the 1920s he made his first movies based on the Selma Lagerlöf novels. During the following years, his movies became very distinguished and recognizable: often sophisticated comedies in an upper-class environment with a touch of money and aristocracy: Swedenhielms (1935), 0028151 or Sara Learns Manners (1937). During the WWII he is involved in movies about the political situation at the time: Rid i natt! (1942) or 0035801. During these years, he also made his masterpiece, Ordet (1943). He was more or less forced to leave the production company Svensk Filmindustri (SF), whom he had been faithful during his career, in the late 1950s, when they wanted to get rid of everything old and tried.- Director
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- Editor
Per Lindberg was born on 5 March 1890 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was a director and writer, known for Rejoice While You're Young, Fellow Cadets (1939), Stål (1940) and I paradis... (1941). He died on 7 February 1944 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Anders Henrikson born on June 13, 1896 in Stockholm, Sweden, was an actor, director and writer. He dropped out of high school to become an actor. In 1914 he first studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm. The year after he was accepted at the acting school of Royal Dramatic Theatre (RDT). He was engaged at the RDT as an actor and teacher for most of his life. Anders Henrikson was only 17 when he did his debut in film. As an actor he appeared in 60 feature films from 1913 to his death in 1965. He directed 30 feature films from 1933 to 1956. Anders Henriksson was a first class character actor. He received a number of awards: for example the RDT O'Neill scholarship and the Royal Medal "Litteris et artibus". During his last year 1965 he was active in film as well as in the theatre.- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arne Mattsson was born on 2 December 1919 in Uppsala, Uppsala län, Sweden. He was a director and writer, known for One Summer of Happiness (1951), För min heta ungdoms skull (1952) and Hemsöborna (1955). He was married to Elsa Prawitz. He died on 28 June 1995 in Sweden.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Vilgot Sjöman was born on 2 December 1924 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He was a writer and director, known for The Garage (1975), A Handful of Love (1974) and My Sister, My Love (1966). He was married to Lotta Sjöman and Kristina Hasselgren. He died on 9 April 2006 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Bo Widerberg was born on 8 June 1930 in Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden. He was a director and writer, known for Adalen 31 (1969), All Things Fair (1995) and Joe Hill (1971). He was married to Vanja Nettelbladt and Ann-Mari Björklund. He died on 1 May 1997 in Ängelholm, Skåne län, Sweden.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
Jan Troell was born on 23 July 1931 in Limhamn, Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Here Is Your Life (1966), The Emigrants (1971) and Il capitano (1991). He is married to Agneta Ulfsäter-Troell. They have one child.- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Lasse Hallström inherited his enthusiasm for film from his father, who was an amateur filmmaker. In high school he made his first short film, which was released on Swedish television. Hallström then began working as a director, cameraman and editor for Swedish television. He also made music videos and worked with the cult band "ABBA", for whom he directed the 1977 film "ABBA: The Movie". He moved from television to film and directed Swedish productions such as "A Lover And His Lass" (1974), "Der Gockel" and "Happy We". By the mid-1980s he had long since established himself in his homeland and made his international breakthrough as an author and director in 1985 with "My Life as a Dog" (1985). In his warm-hearted film, Hallström tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy in the 1950s. Audiences and critics worldwide were thrilled and Hallström received Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay.
The members of the "New York Film Critics Circle" named the production "Best Foreign Film." Hallström then brought the successful Astrid Lindgren stories "We Children from Bullerbü" (1986) and "News from Us Children from Bullerbü" (1986) to the screen. In 1991 he worked with Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss on his first American film, "A Charming Disgust." This was followed in 1993 by the hit film "Gilbert Grape - Somewhere in Iowa", for which Hallström was director and producer. The film starred Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis and the young Leonardo DiCaprio, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a disabled boy. Hallström himself was nominated for an Oscar for Best Director for Gilbert Grape: Somewhere in Iowa. In 1994 he married the actress Lena Olin; together they became parents of two children.
After the failure of "The Power of Love" (1995) with Julia Roberts, Lasse Hallström returned to his strengths and delivered the drama "God's Work and the Devil's Contribution" in 1999. The critics were once again full of praise and Hallström was pleased to receive another Oscar nomination. The subtle comedy "Chocolat" (2000) with Juliette Binoche, Judy Dench and Johnny Depp was his next work, which was nominated for five "Oscars" in 2001. In 2002, Hallström's tragicomedy "Ship Reports" was released in German cinemas. With "An Untamed Life" from 2005, he brought a drama to cinemas that not only shined with its plot, but also with excellent actors such as Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez. Hallström settled privately in the USA and Sweden. In 2018 he directed the American fantasy film "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms".- Director
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Marianne Ahrne was born on 25 May 1940 in Lund, Skåne län, Sweden. She is a director and writer, known for Långt borta och nära (1976), Frihetens murar (1978) and A Matter of Life and Death (1986).- Director
- Writer
- Casting Department
Suzanne Osten was born on 20 June 1944 in Stockholm, Sweden. She is a director and writer, known for The Guardian Angel (1990), Bröderna Mozart (1986) and Mamma (1982).- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Marie-Louise Ekman was born on 5 November 1944 in Stockholm, Sweden. She is a director and writer, known for Barnförbjudet (1979), Puder (2001) and Nu är pappa trött igen (1996). She was previously married to Gösta Ekman, Johan Bergenstråhle and Carl Johan De Geer.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
He was raised on Kungsholmen in Stockholm, where his father had a flower shop. His father was also a social democratic politician. 'Unga Örnar', a socialist youth club, had a theater club which he joined. Since his parents were poor, he had to start work at the age of 16 as a delievery boy. Meanwhile, he continued with acting, performing at weddings and stag parties. In 1944 he met 'Gunnar 'Knas' Lindkvist' and 'Curt 'Minimal' Åström' and together they formed 'Tre Knas', touring Sweden with funny sketches. In 1946 the three of them joined the Casino Theatre, playing comedy together with Arne Källerud and Gösta Bernhard. In 1957 he bought the 'Nöjeskatten' theatre together with Arne Källerud. His first movies were often extensions of what he had done on the stage: Lattjo med Boccaccio (1949) or Stjärnsmäll i Frukostklubben (1950). As time passed, his acting developed, giving place for more mature and dramatic parts like Harry Munter (1969), Man on the Roof (1976) or _"Babels hus" (1981) (mini)_.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Stefan Jarl was born on 18 March 1941 in Skara, Västergötland, Sweden. He is a director and writer, known for Decency (2013), Time Has No Name (1989) and A Respectable Life (1979). He has been married to Anette Lykke Lundberg since 4 May 1983. They have two children.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Actor
Sven Nykvist was considered by many in the industry to be one of the world's greatest cinematographers. During his long career that spanned almost half a century, Nyvist perfected the art of cinematography to its most simple attributes, and he helped give the films he had worked on the simplest and most natural look imaginable. Indeed, Mr. Nykvist prided himself on the simplicity and naturalness of his lighting schemes. Nykvist used light to create mood and, more significantly, to bring out the natural flesh tones in the human face so that the emotion of the scene could be played out on the face without the light becoming intrusive.
Nykvist entered the Swedish film industry when he was 19 and worked his way up to becoming a director of photography. He first worked with the legendary Swedish director Ingmar Bergman on the film Sawdust and Tinsel (1953), but his collaboration with Bergman began in earnest with The Virgin Spring (1960). From that point on, Nykvist replaced the great Gunnar Fischer as Bergman's cameraman, and the two men started a collaboration that would last for a quarter of a century. The switch from Fischer to Nykvist created a marked difference in the look of Bergman's films. In many respects, it was like the difference between Caravaggio and Rembrandt. Fischer's lighting was a study in light and darkness, while Nykvist preferred a more naturalistic, more subtle approach that in many ways relied on the northern light compositions of the many great Scandinavian painters.
Nykvist's work with Bergman is one of the most glorious collaborations in movie history. Nykvist created a markedly different look for each installment of Bergman's Faith Trilogy. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) had an almost suffocating quality to it, and The Silence (1963) hearkened back to the days of German Expressionism. Winter Light (1963), the middle part of the trilogy, may very well be the most perfect work of Nykvist's repertoire. Having studied the light in a real provincial church carefully, he then recreated the subtle changes in the light as the day went on on a Stockholm sound stage. Indeed, it's hard to believe that the film was shot on a stage and not in a real church in Northern Sweden. For Persona (1966), Nykvist relied heavily on Sweden's famous Midnight Sun. In The Passion of Anna (1969), Nykvist was able to capture the chilly, soggy, and melancholy look of Faro, one of Nykvist's first color films. Both Nykvist and Bergman were both very reluctant to film in color. He created a fascinating study of white and red in Cries & Whispers (1972), for which Nykvist won an Oscar. He won an Oscar again for the last feature-length theatrical film that Bergman made, Fanny and Alexander (1982).
During the late 1970s, Nykvist began making films elsewhere in Europe and in the United States, working for directors such as Louis Malle (Pretty Baby (1978)), Philip Kaufman (The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)), Bob Fosse (Star 80 (1983)), Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle (1993)), Woody Allen (Another Woman (1988), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)), Richard Attenborough (Chaplin (1992)), and fellow Swede Lasse Hallström (What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)). The documentary Ljuset håller mig sällskap (2000) paid homage to Nykvist, although it does not grant us any real secrets about his working methods. Nykvist died in 2006.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Kjell-Åke Andersson was born on 7 June 1949 in Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Juloratoriet (1996), Min store tjocke far (1992) and Butterflies (2007).- Producer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Alfredson was born on 23 May 1959 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He is a producer and director, known for The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009), The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009) and Varg (2008). He is married to Stina. They have three children.- Director
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Lukas Moodysson was born on 17 January 1969 in Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden. He is a director and writer, known for Show Me Love (1998), Lilya 4-Ever (2002) and Together (2000). He has been married to Coco Moodysson since 1994. They have three children.- Director
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- Producer
Roy Arne Lennart Andersson is a Swedish film director, best known for his distinctive style of absurdist humor and melancholic depictions of human life. His personal style is characterized by long takes, and stiff caricaturing of Swedish culture and grotesque. Over his career Andersson earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival.
Andersson spent much of his professional life working on advertisement spots, directing over 400 commercials and two short films; directing six feature-length films in six decades. He made his feature film debut with A Swedish Love Story (1970) followed by Giliap (1975). Anderson received the Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize for Songs from the Second Floor (2000). His film A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2014) won the Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion. He other notable films include You, the Living (2007), and About Endlessness (2019).- Director
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Björn Lennart Runge, born June 21 1961, in Lysekil, Sweden. He is a director, screen writer, playwright and author. Björn Runge has been involved in the film industry since he was 20 years old. He studied film directing at Dramatiska Institutet, Stockholm, 1986-89. In 1996 he made his debut in feature films with the celebrated drama "Harry & Sonja". He received two Guldbagge awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay 2003, for the feature film "Om jag vänder mig om". At the Berlin Film Festival the same film was awarded the Silver Bear and Der Blaue Engel Prize, for best European film. In 2005 Björn Runge received Nordiska Rådets Filmpris for "Mun mot mun" (2004). Björn Runge has up till now directed 14 feature films, shorts and television productions.- Writer
- Director
Kay Pollak was born on 21 May 1938 in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. He is a writer and director, known for As It Is in Heaven (2004), Children's Island (1980) and Älska mej (1986). He has been married to Carin Pollak since 1986. They have three children.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Liv Ullmann's father was a Norwegian engineer who used to work abroad, so as a child she lived in Tokyo, Canada, New York and Oslo. In the mid-1950s she made her stage debut and in 1957 made her film debut. She really became successful, however, when she began to work for Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in such films as Persona (1966), The Passion of Anna (1969) and Face to Face (1976). She also had a successful film career away from Bergman (The Abdication (1974), Dangerous Moves (1984).- Director
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Maria Blom was born on 28 February 1971 in Täby, Stockholms län, Sweden. She is a director and writer, known for Dalecarlians (2004), Hallåhallå (2014) and Fishy (2007).- Director
- Writer
- Production Manager
Kristina Humle was born on 13 October 1965. She is a director and writer, known for Krama mig (2005), Äkta människor (2012) and Sjätte dagen (1999).