Waldemar Bergendahl

Waldemar Bergendahl (18 April 1933 – 21 March 2022)^[1][2] was a Swedish film director, film editor, film producer, cinematographer and screenwriter. Bergendahl is best known as the producer behind the films based on novels by Astrid Lindgren.

Waldemar Bergendahl
Born	(1933-04-18)18 April 1933 Årsunda, Sweden
Died	21 March 2022(2022-03-21) (aged 88)
Nationality	Swedish
Occupation(s)	Film director, editor, producer, screenwriter
Years active	1957–2010

Life and career

Bergendahl was born in April 1933 in Årsunda. He grew up on a farm between Årsunda and Gästrike-Hammarby. His parents were farmers with cows, horses, chickens, pigs and many other animals. Bergendahl later went to University in Gävle. Then he moved to Stockholm.^[3]

In 1957 Bergendahl lived along with the production manager of Europafilm in an apartment in Stockholm. The production manager told Bergendahl to apply for a job at the film company. One year later, Bergendahl was part of the film crew of Miss April, a film with Gunnar Björnstrand and Gaby Stenberg in the leading roles. At that time he did know anything about film work, so he tried to help wherever he could.^[4]

Bergendahl dreamed of becoming an actor, but realized soon that he was not suitable for the job. However, he wanted to continue working in the film industry and therefore decided to work as a producer.^[3]

In 1963 Bergendahl produced the film Raven's End. In 1984 he started working with Astrid Lindgren and produced Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. His film My Life as a Dog (1988) was nominated as the best non English film for the British Academy Film Awards.

Bergendahl produced around 120 films. He worked along with Astrid Lindgren, Tage Danielsson, Bo Widerberg, Lasse Hallström, Helena Bergström and many others.^[5] He always selected the employees for his films himself.^[6]

In 2010 Bergendahl was honored as a film producer by winning the Hedersguldbaggen.^[7]

Private life

Bergendahl lived until his death in Stockholm.^[8] He has two younger sisters. In 2008 Bergendahl was diagnosed with Parkinson's.^[5]

Selected filmography

Film

Year	Title	Notes
1961	Lovely Is the Summer Night
1963	Raven's End
1967	Elvira Madigan
1967	Joe Hill
1984	Ronia, the Robber's Daughter
1985	False as Water
1985	My Life as a Dog
1986	Jönssonligan dyker upp igen
1986	The Children of Noisy Village
1987	Jim & Piraterna Blom
1987	Leif
1987	More About the Children of Noisy Village
1988	Strul
1988	Go'natt Herr Luffare	short film
1988	Allrakäraste syster	short film
1988	Gull-Pian	short film
1988	Ingen rövare finns i skogen	short film
1989	Brenda Brave	short film
1989	Hoppa högst	short film
1989	Hajen som visste för mycket
1989	The Women on the Roof
1989	Jönssonligan på Mallorca
1989	1939
1989	Peter och Petra
1990	Blackjack
1990	Nils Karlsson Pyssling
1990	Pelle flyttar till Komfusenbo
1991	Agnes Cecilia – en sällsam historia
1992	Lotta på Bråkmakargatan
1992	Svart Lucia
1993	Sökarna
1993	Lotta flyttar hemifrån
1993	The Slingshot
1993	Family Matters
1993	Sune's Summer
1996	Hamsun
1996	Bill Bergson Lives Dangerously
1997	Adam & Eva
1997	Pippi Longstocking
1997	Bill Bergson and the White Rose Rescue
1999	Adult Behavior
2002	Karlsson på taket
2004	Håkan Bråkan & Josef
2007	Mind the Gap
2007	Arn – The Knight Templar
2008	Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End

Television

Year	Title	Notes
1988	Mimmi	TV series, 4 episodes
1997	Pippi Longstocking	TV series, 1 episode
1999–2000	Eva & Adam	TV series, 16 episodes
2002	Karlsson on the Roof	TV series

Awards and nominations

BAFTA Awards

• 1988: Best Foreign Language Film: My Life as a Dog (Nomination)

Guldbagge

• 1986: Best Film (Bästa film): My Life as a Dog (Award)
• 1992: Best Film (Bästa film): Agnes Cecilia – en sällsam historia (shared with Ingrid Dalunde, Nomination)
• 1994: Best Film (Bästa film): The Slingshot (Nomination)
• 1996: Best Film (Bästa film): En på miljonen (Nomination)
• 1998: Best Film (Bästa film): Adam & Eva (Nomination)
• 2010: Hedersguldbaggen as film producer (Award)