Swedish Culture

Literature

Novelist and playwright August Strindberg, poet Tomas Tranströmer and childrens' author Astrid Lindgren have all contributed to Sweden's vibrant literary heritage. Their works have been translated into all major world languages, including Chinese. And their influence on Chinese literature has sometimes been significant:  in 2004 Tomas Tranströmer, was awarded the Chinese Dipper Award for his lifetime achievement in poetry. It was the first time a foreign poet had been awarded this distinction.

Every autumn the eyes of the literary world turn to Sweden to find out who this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature will be. Since 1901, by the terms of Alfred Nobel's will, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded by the Swedish Academy.

Music

From ABBA to the Cardigans to Emilia to the Hives, Swedish pop artists have a long history of international success and continue to seduce audiences around the world. Swedish producers and songwriters, such as Max Martin (responsible for several international smash hits by acts like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys) have also had a major impact on worldwide pop music charts. Sweden also boast several internationally famous folk, jazz and classical musicians. Jazz legend Nisse Landgren, classical violinist Jan Stigmer and the saxophone quartet Rollin' Phones have all recently toured China.

Film

In the 1960s and 70s, Swedish film was virtually synonymous with names like Ingmar Bergman, Bo Widerberg, Jan Troell and Vilgot Sjöman. In recent years, Swedish film has aquired a healthy new air of self-confidence. A new generation of filmmakers has emerged, using today's multi-cultural Sweden as a fertile ground for their filmmaking. Mikael Håfström's boarding school drama Ondskan (Evil) was nominated for a 2004 Academy Award in the category Best Foreign Language Film. Lukas Moodysson has received international acclaim for the sharp social insight of films like Fucking Åmål (Show me love), Tillsammans (Together) and Lilja 4-ever.

Read more:
Theatre in Sweden
Modern Art in Sweden
Swedish Design
Architecture in Sweden