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As the home of the Nobel Prize in Literature and as the third largest music exporting nation in the world, Sweden has a vibrant and dynamic cultural life.
Literature
Novelist and playwright August Strindberg, poet Tomas Tranströmer and childrens' author Astrid Lindgren have all contributed to Sweden's vibrant literary heritage. Their works have been translated into all major world languages. Every autumn the eyes of the literary world turn to Sweden to find out who this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature will be. Since 1901, by the terms of Alfred Nobel's will, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded by the Swedish Academy.
Music
From ABBA to the Cardigans to Emilia to the Hives, Swedish pop artists have a long history of international success and continue to seduce audiences around the world. Swedish producers and songwriters, such as Max Martin (responsible for several international smash hits by acts like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys) have also had a major impact on worldwide pop music charts. Sweden also boast several internationally famous folk, jazz and classical musicians.
Film
In the 1960s and 70s, Swedish film was virtually synonymous with names like Ingmar Bergman, Bo Widerberg, Jan Troell and Vilgot Sjöman. In recent years, Swedish film has aquired a healthy new air of self-confidence. A new generation of filmmakers has emerged, using today's multi-cultural Sweden as a fertile ground for their filmmaking. Mikael Håfström's boarding school drama Ondskan (Evil) was nominated for a 2004 Academy Award in the category Best Foreign Language Film. Lukas Moodysson has received international acclaim for the sharp social insight of films like Fucking Åmål (Show me love), Tillsammans (Together) and Lilja 4-ever.
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