Sven Nykvist
Cinematography · 1922 – 2006 · Moheda, Kronobergs län, Sweden
Sven Vilhem Nykvist (3 December 1922 – 20 September 2006) was a Swedish cinematographer. He worked on over 120 films, but is known especially for his work with director Ingmar Bergman. He won Academy Awards for his work on two Bergman films, Cries and Whispers (Viskningar och rop) in 1973 and Fanny and Alexander (Fanny och Alexander) in 1983, and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography for The Unbearable Lightness of Being. His work is generally noted for its naturalism and simplicity. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest cinematographers of all time. In 2003, Nykvist was judged one of history's ten most influential cinematographers in a survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild.
Movies19
Movie6.4DramaDocumentary40 international directors were asked to make a short film using the original Cinematographe invented by the Lumière Brothers, working under conditions similar to those of 1895. There were three rules: (1) The film could be no longer than 52 seconds, (2) no synchronized sound was permitted, and (3) no more than three takes.
Movie6.2DocumentaryPortrait of Ingmar Bergman, made while he was working on The Touch, about his professional and private life in the early 1970s.
Ingmar Bergman
1972 · 3 votes
Movie7.9DocumentaryCarl-Gustaf Nykvist's documentary about his father, Sven Nykvist. The film is based on Sven's memoirs with Sven himself as narrator. A journey to the place of birth, Moheda, constitutes the hub of the film and during the journey friends and memories emerge. Written by Fredrik Klasson
Movie7.1MusicRomanceThe Queen of the Night enlists a handsome prince named Tamino to rescue her beautiful kidnapped daughter, Princess Pamina, in this screen adaptation of the beloved Mozart opera. Aided by the lovelorn bird hunter Papageno and a magical flute that holds the power to change the hearts of men, young Tamino embarks on a quest for true love, leading to the evil Sarastro's temple where Pamina is held captive.
Movie6.3DocumentaryGuided by Liv Ullmann and with commentaries from a number of prominent filmmakers for whom Bergman is and remains an important influence - such as Woody Allen, Olivier Assayas, Bernardo Bertolucci, Arnaud Desplechin, John Sayles, Martin Scorsese and Lars von Trier, the film provides a vivid portrait of the artist who in each new project found a challenge for himself and for the people he worked with - both actors and colleagues behind the camera.
Movie6.5DramaIn desperation brought on by near-starvation, Helge Roos kills his master's ox to feed his wife and baby daughter, setting off a devastating and unexpected chain of events.
Movie7.5TV MovieDocumentaryChris Marker’s portrait of Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky documents the director at work on his final film, The Sacrifice, during the last year of his life. Interweaving behind-the-scenes footage with excerpts from Tarkovsky’s earlier works, Marker crafts a moving reflection on the artist’s vision, methods, and enduring legacy.
Movie9.0DocumentaryA documentary on Sven Nykvist lighting the movie-set during the shooting of Andrei Tarkovsky's film "The Sacrifice."
Movie7.6DocumentaryThis documentary offers a rare glimpse of the legendary Soviet filmmaker, Andrei Tarkosvky, at work. Tarkovsky made only seven films in his brief, but brilliant, career; Michal Leszczylowski's respectful movie chronicles him at work on his last film, The Sacrifice. Offering insight into Tarkovsky's working methods and transcendental aesthetics, the movie is a compelling account of the difficulties of film production. In the case of an uncompromising and visionary filmmaker like Tarkovsky, the practical problems of filmmaking are only magnified, as cast and crew struggle to realize the ambitious concepts in Tarkovsky's mind.
- Movie6.0Documentary
A documentary behind the scenes of Ingmar Bergman's The Magic Flute.
Movie6.9DocumentaryShot during the making of Fanny and Alexander, this feature-length documentary presents extended behind-the-scenes material from rehearsals and filming sessions, with Bergman at work staging scenes and directing performances. The film focuses on the practical process of production, including collaboration with the principal cast and key crew members such as cinematographer Sven Nykvist and on-set documentarian Arne Carlsson.
Movie7.3DocumentaryThe year is 1961 and Ingmar Bergman is making a movie. While planted on the scene as apprentice to Bergman, Vilgot Sjöman (director, I Am Curious–Yellow, 1967), suggests to Swedish Television that they take the opportunity to record with the acclaimed director. In August, Sjöman and the television crew begin to capture what would become a comprehensive five-part documentary on the making of Winter Light, offering views of script development, set construction and lighting, rehearsals and editing, as well as intimate conversations with Bergman and members of his cast and crew. Footage from the film’s Swedish premiere delivers immediate audience reactions and the critics’ reviews the following day.
Movie4.2DocumentaryThe Scandinavian entry in the BFI's Century of Cinema series of documentaries
Movie7.0DocumentaryHistoryCameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.
Visions of Light
1992 · 50 votes
- MovieDocumentary
Filmed around the time of the 1989 Oscars this documentary includes interviews with foreign filmmakers from a variety of disciplines about their experiences working and living in Hollywood.
Movie7.0DocumentaryThis behind-the-scenes documentary follows the production of Autumn Sonata, capturing rehearsals, filming sessions, and discussions during the shoot. The film presents extended observational footage of the working process led by Ingmar Bergman and the principal cast and crew.
The Making of Autumn Sonata
1978 · 1 votes
- Movie10.0Documentary
Using original footage and interviews, family photos, and excepts from many of the actress's screen and stage performances, the film explores sources of Liv Ullman's creativity, the influence of her Norwegian heritage, her relationship with Ingmar Bergman, her views on being a woman and mother in contemporary society, and the writing of her autobiography,
A Look at Liv
1979 · 1 votes
Movie6.5DocumentaryA 1988 documentary film directed by Alexander Sokurov, about the later life and death of Soviet Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. The film was originally intended to mark the 50th birthday of Tarkovsky in 1982, which would have been before his death. Controversy with Soviet authorities about the film's style and content led to significant delays in the production.
- MovieDocumentary
A docudrama based on stills from the film "The Sacrifice" (Offret) by Andrei Tarkovsky. Sven Nykvist and Andrei Tarkovsky meet in a final conversation where they jointly find relief before the implacable, captured in the only substantial composed, their timeless images.