Muraren
Sweden
Synopsis
What is art? what is life? The Bricklayer" examines these questions. It is a film about perhaps the best actor we have in Sweden, Thommy Berggren, well known from his work with Bo Widerberg and Ingmar Bergman. How come some actors are good, and some bad? Where is the border between private life and official representation? "The Bricklayer tries to give some answers together with Thommy Berggren who tells about his Background, childhood, his parents, Widerberg, Bergman, success and death.
The film is a portrait of the actor Thommy Berggren and delves deeply into his background and upbringing. Why is Thommy Berggren one of our best actors? From where does an actor draw his strengths?
The film follows Thommy Berggren during two and a half years, and includes rich examples of his productions for film, theatre and television.
Thommy Berggren
In 1963 Thommy Berggren joined The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and played in the same year in Ingmar Bergman's production Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf. He has worked with many directors, notably Alf Sjöberg. The Interpretation of the eldest son in Long day's journey into night directed by Ingmar Bergman in 1988 attracted a lot of attention.
His breakthrough in films came with Bo Widerberg's The Pram and Raven's End, both from 1963. And with Bo Widerberg as director, Thommy Berggren has shown some of his most distinguished performances. The part as Sixten Sparre in Elvira Madigan brought him international fame. Thommy Berggren has also directed three plays, among them Harold Pinter's The Caretaker.Thommy Berggren was also the cicerone in Stefan Jarl's film about Bo Widerberg, Life at Any Cost.
The film is a portrait of the actor Thommy Berggren and delves deeply into his background and upbringing. Why is Thommy Berggren one of our best actors? From where does an actor draw his strengths?
The film follows Thommy Berggren during two and a half years, and includes rich examples of his productions for film, theatre and television.
Thommy Berggren
In 1963 Thommy Berggren joined The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and played in the same year in Ingmar Bergman's production Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf. He has worked with many directors, notably Alf Sjöberg. The Interpretation of the eldest son in Long day's journey into night directed by Ingmar Bergman in 1988 attracted a lot of attention.
His breakthrough in films came with Bo Widerberg's The Pram and Raven's End, both from 1963. And with Bo Widerberg as director, Thommy Berggren has shown some of his most distinguished performances. The part as Sixten Sparre in Elvira Madigan brought him international fame. Thommy Berggren has also directed three plays, among them Harold Pinter's The Caretaker.Thommy Berggren was also the cicerone in Stefan Jarl's film about Bo Widerberg, Life at Any Cost.
Director's Biography
Stefan Jarl is Sweden's leading documentary filmmaker with a unique sense of images and a dynamic filmic presence.
Over the years Stefan Jarl has received several international awards, among them the Felix Award, the European "Oscar". According to Ingmar Bergman, documentary filmmaker Stefan Jarl definitively belongs to the small circle of "extremely talented madmen" who have enriched Swedish cinema. "One of the last great samurai who unyieldingly fights for ideals and convictions. In our "heavy industry" there aren't many like him."
Over the years Stefan Jarl has received several international awards, among them the Felix Award, the European "Oscar". According to Ingmar Bergman, documentary filmmaker Stefan Jarl definitively belongs to the small circle of "extremely talented madmen" who have enriched Swedish cinema. "One of the last great samurai who unyieldingly fights for ideals and convictions. In our "heavy industry" there aren't many like him."
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Stefan Jarl
Written by: Stefan Jarl
Cinematography: Per Källberg, Viggo Lundberg, Halldor Gunnarsson, Joakim Jalin
Editing: Joakim Jalin, Stefan Jarl
Production Design: Staffan Hedqvist
Original Score: Ulf Dageby
Nominations and Awards
- European Documentary Award – Prix Arte 2002
