Sven Nykvist
Film & Theater Personalities

Sven Nykvist Net Worth

Sven Nykvist was a Swedish cinematographer who had a career spanning five decades. He worked with many renowned directors, including Ingmar Bergman, Woody Allen, and Bob Fosse, and was known for his subtle use of light to enhance the emotional tone of characters and scenes. He won two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography for his work on Bergman's films 'Cries and Whispers' and 'Fanny and Alexander'. He was also listed as one of the 10 most influential cinematographers in history by the International Cinematographers Guild in 2003.
Sven Nykvist is a member of Film & Theater Personalities

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Cinematographer
Birth Day December 03, 1922
Birth Place Moheda, Kronobergs län, Sweden, Swedish
Age 98 YEARS OLD
Died On 20 September 2006(2006-09-20) (aged 83)\nStockholm, Sweden
Birth Sign Capricorn
Occupation Cinematographer
Spouse(s) Ulla Söderlind (m. 1952–1968) Ulrika Nykvist
Children Carl-Gustaf Nykvist

💰 Net worth: $12 Million (2024)

Sven Nykvist was a renowned Swedish cinematographer and his net worth is estimated to be $12 million in 2024. He gained international recognition for his exceptional work in the film industry, collaborating with renowned directors such as Ingmar Bergman. Nykvist's visually stunning cinematography brought life and depth to numerous films, earning him critical acclaim and numerous accolades. His unique skill in capturing mood and atmosphere on screen made him a highly sought-after professional in the industry. Despite his passing in 2006, Sven Nykvist's work continues to inspire and his legacy as one of the greatest cinematographers remains intact.

Biography/Timeline

1941

In 1941, he became an assistant cameraman at Sandrews studio, working on The Poor Millionaire. He moved to Italy in 1943 to work at Cinecittà Studios, returning to Sweden two years later. In 1945, aged 23, he became a full-fledged Cinematographer, with his first solo credit on The Children from Frostmo Mountain.

1953

Back in Sweden, he began to work with the Director Ingmar Bergman in 1953 on Sawdust and Tinsel (released in the US as The Naked Night). He was one of three cinematographers to work on that film, the others being Gunnar Fischer and Hilding Bladh.

1959

Nykvist would eventually become Bergman's full-time Cinematographer and push the director's work in a new direction, away from the theatrical look of his earlier films. He worked as sole cameraman on Bergman's Oscar-winning films The Virgin Spring in 1959 and Through a Glass Darkly in 1960. He revolutionised the way faces are shot in close-up with Bergman's psychologic drama Persona in 1966.

1960

After working with other Swedish Directors, including Alf Sjöberg on The Judge (1960) and Mai Zetterling on Loving Couples (1964), he then worked in the United States and elsewhere, on: Richard Fleischer's The Last Run (1971); Louis Malle's Black Moon (1975) and Pretty Baby (1978); Roman Polanski's The Tenant (1976); Jan Troell's Hurricane (1979); Bob Rafelson's version of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981); Agnes of God (1985); Woody Allen's Another Woman (1988) and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989); Richard Attenborough's Chaplin (1992); Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle (1993); and Lasse Hallström's What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993).

1973

Nykvist won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for two of his films: Cries and Whispers (1973), and Fanny and Alexander (1982), both of which were Bergman films. At the 9th Guldbagge Awards in 1973 he won the Special Achievement award for his work on Cries and Whispers. He was also nominated for a Cinematography Oscar for The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988), and in the category of Best Foreign Language Film for The Ox (1991), in which he directed Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann.

1982

His ex-wife, Ulrika, died in 1982. Nykvist's career was brought to a sudden end in 1998 when he was diagnosed with aphasia, and he died in 2006, aged 83.

1986

He won a special prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on The Sacrifice (1986), the last film of the Russian Director Andrei Tarkovsky. He was the first European Cinematographer to join the American Society of Cinematographers, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASC in 1996.

1989

He is survived by his son, Carl-Gustaf Nykvist, who directed his first film, Woman on the Roof, in 1989 and directed a documentary about his Father, Light Keeps Me Company, 1999.

1999

He wrote three books, including Curtain Call in 1999.

2003

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.

Some Sven Nykvist images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.