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.
Academy Awards
Best Cinematography
Known For
Pretty Baby
(1978)
Director of Photography
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Director of Photography
Sleepless in Seattle
(1993)
Director of Photography
Crimes and Misdemeanors
(1989)
Director of Photography
Chaplin
(1992)
Director of Photography
Persona
(1966)
Director of Photography
The Tenant
(1976)
Director of Photography
The Postman Always Rings Twice
(1981)
Director of Photography
Only You
(1994)
Director of Photography
With Honors
(1994)
Director of Photography
Something to Talk About
(1995)
Director of Photography
Agnes of God
(1985)
Director of Photography
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
(1988)
Director of Photography
The Virgin Spring
(1960)
Director of Photography
The Passion of Anna
(1969)
Director of Photography
Celebrity
(1998)
Director of Photography
Full Filmography
Camera
En kvinna ombord
(1941)
Still Photographer
General von Döbeln
(1942)
Camera Technician
I mörkaste Småland
(1943)
Director of Photography
Gomorron Bill!
(1945)
Director of Photography
The Children
(1945)
Director of Photography
Saltstänk och krutgubbar
(1946)
Director of Photography
Maj på Malö
(1947)
Director of Photography
Lång-Lasse i Delsbo
(1949)
Director of Photography
Loffe blir polis
(1950)
Director of Photography
När syrenerna blomma
(1952)
Director of Photography
Sawdust and Tinsel
(1953)
Director of Photography
Barabbas
(1953)
Director of Photography
Karin Månsdotter
(1954)
Director of Photography
Storm over Tjurö
(1954)
Director of Photography
Darling of Mine
(1955)
Director of Photography
Sista ringen
(1955)
Director of Photography
Gorilla
(1956)
Director of Photography
En drömmares vandring
(1957)
Director of Photography
Guest at One's Own Home
(1957)
Director of Photography
A Girl of Solbakken
(1957)
Director of Photography
The Lady in Black
(1958)
Director of Photography
Får jag låna din fru?
(1959)
Director of Photography
Der Engel, der seine Harfe versetzte
(1959)
Director of Photography
The Virgin Spring
(1960)
Director of Photography
The Judge
(1960)
Director of Photography
Lampenfieber
(1960)
Director of Photography
Through a Glass Darkly
(1961)
Director of Photography
Lita på mej, älskling!
(1961)
Director of Photography
A Matter of Morals
(1961)
Director of Photography
Snow White and the Seven Jugglers
(1962)
Director of Photography
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
(1962)
Director of Photography
The Silence
(1963)
Director of Photography
Winter Light
(1963)
Director of Photography
All These Women
(1964)
Director of Photography
The Dress
(1964)
Director of Photography
Loving Couples
(1964)
Director of Photography
Persona
(1966)
Director of Photography
Roseanna
(1967)
Director of Photography
Hour of the Wolf
(1968)
Director of Photography
Shame
(1968)
Director of Photography
The Passion of Anna
(1969)
Director of Photography
The Rite
(1969)
Director of Photography
An-Magritt
(1969)
Director of Photography
The Touch
(1971)
Director of Photography
The Last Run
(1971)
Director of Photography
Cries and Whispers
(1972)
Director of Photography
Siddhartha
(1972)
Director of Photography
A Free Woman
(1972)
Director of Photography
Scenes from a Marriage
(1974)
Director of Photography
Ransom
(1974)
Director of Photography
The Dove
(1974)
Director of Photography
Black Moon
(1975)
Director of Photography
The Tenant
(1976)
Director of Photography
Face to Face
(1976)
Director of Photography
Autumn Sonata
(1978)
Director of Photography
King of the Gypsies
(1978)
Director of Photography
Pretty Baby
(1978)
Director of Photography
Hurricane
(1979)
Director of Photography
Starting Over
(1979)
Director of Photography
From the Life of the Marionettes
(1980)
Director of Photography
The Postman Always Rings Twice
(1981)
Director of Photography
Fanny and Alexander
(1982)
Director of Photography
Star 80
(1983)
Director of Photography
After the Rehearsal
(1984)
Director of Photography
Swann in Love
(1984)
Director of Photography
Agnes of God
(1985)
Director of Photography
The Sacrifice
(1986)
Director of Photography
Dream Lover
(1986)
Director of Photography
Nobody's Child
(1986)
Director of Photography
Another Woman
(1988)
Director of Photography
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
(1988)
Director of Photography
Katinka
(1988)
Director of Photography
Crimes and Misdemeanors
(1989)
Director of Photography
New York Stories
(1989)
Director of Photography
Buster's Bedroom
(1991)
Director of Photography
The Ox
(1991)
Director of Photography
Chaplin
(1992)
Director of Photography
Sleepless in Seattle
(1993)
Director of Photography
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Director of Photography
Mixed Nuts
(1994)
Director of Photography
Only You
(1994)
Director of Photography
With Honors
(1994)
Director of Photography
Something to Talk About
(1995)
Director of Photography
Lumière and Company
(1995)
Director of Photography
Kristin Lavransdatter
(1995)
Director of Photography
Private Confessions
(1996)
Director of Photography
Celebrity
(1998)
Director of Photography
Light Keeps Me Company
(2000)
Director of Photography
Acting
Ingmar Bergman Makes a Movie
(1963)
Self
Ingmar Bergman
(1972)
Self
Foto: Sven Nykvist
(1973)
Silence! Cameras! The Magic Flute!
(1975)
Self
The Magic Flute
(1975)
Man in Audience (uncredited)
The Making of 'Autumn Sonata'
(1978)
Self
A Look at Liv
(1979)
Self
The Making of Fanny and Alexander
(1984)
Self
Moscow Elegy
(1987)
Himself
Lighting
(1988)
Himself
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
(1988)
Self
Foreign Filmmakers in Hollywood
(1989)
Self
Building Images: Anna Asp on Scenography
(1990)
Himself
The Ox
(1991)
Shop Owner (voice) (uncredited)
Visions of Light
(1992)
Self
Lumière and Company
(1995)
I Am Curious, Film
(1995)
Self
One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
(1999)
Self - Cinematographer of 'Offret' (uncredited)
Light Keeps Me Company
(2000)
Self
… But Film Is My Mistress
(2010)
Self
Crew
A Stockholm Silhouette
(1943)
Cinematography
13 Chairs
(1945)
Cinematography
Sjösalavår
(1949)
Cinematography
Rågens rike
(1950)
Cinematography
Salka Valka
(1954)
Cinematography
Den underbara lögnen
(1955)
Cinematography
Den tappre soldaten Jönsson
(1956)
Cinematography
Children of the Night
(1956)
Cinematography
Girl in Tails
(1956)
Cinematography
Laila
(1958)
Cinematography
The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi
(1961)
Cinematography
Prins hatt under jorden
(1963)
Cinematography
To Love
(1964)
Cinematography
Bränt barn
(1967)
Cinematography
Fårö Document
(1970)
Cinematography
Karpfs Karriere
(1971)
Cinematography
Lockfågeln
(1971)
Cinematography
The Vocation
(1974)
Cinematography
Monismanien 1995
(1975)
Cinematography
Georginas Gründe
(1975)
Cinematography
The Magic Flute
(1975)
Cinematography
The Condemned Women Dance
(1976)
Cinematography
The Serpent's Egg
(1977)
Cinematography
One on One
(1978)
Cinematography
Willie and Phil
(1980)
Cinematography
Marmalade Revolution
(1980)
Cinematography
Cannery Row
(1982)
Cinematography
Curtain Call
(1998)
Cinematography
Directing
Gorilla
(1956)
Director
Lianbron
(1965)
Director
The Vocation
(1974)
Director
One on One
(1978)
Director
The Ox
(1991)
Director
Writing
Production