P & B

Hans Alfredson (1931–2017) was one of the most distinguished and versatile figures in twentieth-century Swedish culture: a filmmaker, writer and comedian. Born in Malmö, he earned a degree in literature and art history from Lund University. In the 1960s, together with his colleague Tage Danielsson, he formed Hasse & Tage, one of Sweden’s best-known creative partnerships, which had a lasting influence on the country’s tradition of cinematic satire and comedy. Alfredson’s films move between absurdist humour, biting satire and a deep social and moral melancholy. They often explore humanism, the individual’s struggle against systems and the boundary between good and evil, while their visual language is marked by poetic imagery and highly inventive camerawork. In recognition of his contribution to Swedish cinema, Alfredson received several Guldbagge Awards, Sweden’s leading film honours, including an Honorary Guldbagge in 2013.