Bo Widerberg began his career as a writer. In 1952 came his first novel, Hösttermin. In the same year, his short story collection Kyssas, published by Bonnier, became a bestseller. His most successful book was the novel Erotikon (1957). The novel's title comes from Mauritz Stiller's silent film classic Erotikon (1920). Widerberg's last novel is Den gröna draken, which was published in 1959 and is a satire on the advertising industry. The book was made into a film by Widerberg himself with the title Heja Roland! (1966).
In 1962, Bo Widerberg's debate book The Vision in Swedish Film appeared. He was critical of the film that had been made in Sweden, not least of all by Ingmar Bergman whom he called "Our spirit's Dala horse in the world", and his films which he likened to "... an export item filled with undisguised exoticism". The essay collection gave him a chance to direct his own film: Gustav Scheutz surprisingly offered him to make a film at Europafilm. Widerberg made his feature film debut with The Baby Carriage (1963) with colleague Jan Troell as photographer, and in the same year came Raven's End (1963), both with Thommy Berggren in the lead role. With the latter, he made several films, including the American film Joe Hill (1971).
Bo Widerberg has also directed theatre, including at Dramaten and Malmö Stadsteater, in addition to TV theater for SVT.
In 1996, he started the well-known Lilla film festival at Bio Scala in Båstad, which occurs annually at the beginning of August; what he called "the film festival of conversation and socializing" for quality film screenings and discussions in the more intimate format. In memory of the founder, the festival has been awarding the Bo Widerberg scholarship since 1997 to filmmakers who work in Widerberg's spirit.
Death and legacy
Widerberg died in Ängelholm, Sweden on 1 May 1997 of stomach cancer and was buried in the New Cemetery in Båstad. He had four children: Nina, Martin, Johan, and Matilda. Johan has become an actor and his son Martin became a director. As a child, Nina Widerberg acted in five of her father's films, including Barnvagnen and The Man on the Roof. Johan played Detective Kollberg's son in The Man on the Roof.
In conjunction with the City Tunnel in Malmö, a small plaza around the southern entrance to the train, named Bo Widerberg place, was inaugurated in 2010. The site is located near Widerberg's former residence in the city.[1]
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