Swedish Film

Ever since the two Swedish film directors Victor Sjöström and Mauritz Stiller came to Hollywood in the 1920's, bringing with them a young Greta Garbo, Swedish film has been internationally acclaimed. Sjöström and Stiller were followed by directors such as Alf Sjöberg, Ingmar Bergman, Jan Troell, Bo Widerberg, Lasse Hallström and Colin Nutley. Ingmar Bergman's "Fanny and Alexander" won four Academy Awards in 1983. This and several of his other films are regularly screened at film festivals throughout the United States.

Lasse Hallström is the most prominent of current film directors. After his success with "My Life as a Dog", he moved to the United States, and has since then made several successful films, most recently "the Cider House Rules". In 2000, this film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best film and best director (the film won two awards for best supporting actor and best adapted screenplay).

Greta Garbo, who according to some was the greatest actress of the 20th Century, was followed to Hollywood by several other Swedish actresses and actors, including Ingrid Bergman (3 Academy Awards), Bibi Andersson, Signe Hasso, Max von Sydow, Erland Josephson, Viveca Lindfors, Maud Adams, Lena Olin, Stellan Skarsgård and Peter Stormare.

Swedish image companies have recently been established in Los Angeles, most prominently Pettersson & Åkerlund, creators of award-winning music videos for Madonna, Metallica, Roxette etc, and Traktor, successful producers of commercial films.

Sweden is presently in the process of creating a new film center in Trollhättan, Trollywood, on the Swedish west coast. Many contemporary Swedish films are produced here.

To read more and for film festivals in Sweden, please visit the websites to the right.