The first Guldbagge Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role went to Ingrid Thulin in 1964 for her work in The Silence. A Swedish performer who gained international recognition, Thulin navigated a decades-long career spanning acting, directing, and screenwriting, eventually becoming a familiar face in the cinematic landscape through her sustained collaboration with Ingmar Bergman.
Early Development and Training
Born on 27 January 1926 in Sollefteå, Ångermanland, Ingrid Lilian Thulin was the daughter of Adam Thulin, a fisherman, and Nanna Larsson. Her early exposure to the arts included ballet instruction as a child. By 1948, she had secured a position at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, an institutional training ground that helped launch her professional trajectory.
Collaborations with Ingmar Bergman
Thulin became a key figure in the works of Ingmar Bergman. Her filmography with the director includes appearances in Wild Strawberries (1957), The Magician (1958), Winter Light (1962), The Silence (1963), The Rite (1969), and Cries and Whispers (1972). In the 1958 film The Magician, her role involved a distinct visual transformation as she spent much of the duration dressed as a boy. Her performance in Brink of Life (1958) earned her a share of the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Her professional honors include a Grolla d'oro for Best Leading Actress in 1960 and a David di Donatello Award in 1974. She also received a BAFTA nomination for her work in Cries and Whispers. In 1980, she served as the head of the jury for the 30th Berlin International Film Festival.
Residency and Memoir
Thulin maintained a global lifestyle, purchasing an apartment in Paris during the early 1960s and later acquiring a beach house in San Felice Circeo, Italy. In 1970, she established residency in Sacrofano, Italy, remaining there for 34 years. She documented her experiences in a 1992 memoir, Någon jag kände, published by Norstedts Förlag.
Personal Life and Death
Thulin married Claes Sylwander and Harry Schein, the latter of whom was the founder of the Swedish Film Institute. She and Schein were married for over three decades until their 1989 divorce, despite having lived separately for many years prior. She returned to Sweden for medical treatment before dying of cancer in Stockholm on 7 January 2004. She is buried at the Sollefteå-Boteå Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 27 January 1926, Sollefteå
- Died: 7 January 2004, Stockholm
- Cause of death: Cancer
- Burial site: Sollefteå-Boteå Cemetery
- Spouses: Harry Schein, Claes Sylwander
- 1958 Cannes Best Actress Award: Brink of Life
- 1964 Guldbagge Award: The Silence
- Memoir: Någon jag kände (1992)
Questions readers ask
What is the Ingrid Thulin Memorial Scholarship?
Established in 2008 by the municipality of Sollefteå, this scholarship provides SEK 20,000 to individuals pursuing the arts.
Did Ingrid Thulin only act in Swedish films?
No, she appeared in international productions, including those directed by Tinto Brass in Italy.
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