With films such as “Persona”, “Fanny and Alexander”, “Whispers and shouts”, “The unbearable lightness of being”, “Small and large crimes”, “Gilbert Grape” and “Sömnlös i Seattle” Sven Nykvist wrote himself into film history.
He was awarded Oscar statuettes for two of his collaborations with Ingmar Bergman and was also nominated for best picture twice. It led to international assignments and collaborations with directors such as Woody Allen, Louis Malle, Nora Ephron and Volker Schlöndorff.
On the 100th anniversary, Sven Nykvist is honored at Filmhuset in Stockholm by, among others, cinematographers Sophia Olsson (“Sameblod”, “438 days”) and Fredrik Wenzel (“Triangle of sadness”, “The square”), both of whom have been awarded the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award.
The actress Ewa Fröling, who collaborated with Nykvist in “Fanny and Alexander” and “Oxen”, is also present, as is Sven Nykvist’s son Carl-Gustaf Nykvist.
The latter’s documentary about the father, “The light keeps me company” from 2000 is broadcast over the weekend on SVT and during December several of Nykvist’s films are shown on SVT Play. SF Anytime also pays attention to Sven Nykvist, and abroad his films are shown at several cinematheques.
Sven Nykvist died in 2006, aged 93.
Ingmar Bergman and Sven Nykvist during the filming of “Fanny and Alexander” in 1980. The duo made 24 films together. Archive image.