Biography

Films typically end on freeze frames.

Natural lighting and handheld camerawork.

Politically-charged stories.

Favored casting amateurs and non-professionals as opposed to real actors.

Frequently cast Thommy Berggren.

In the 60s, as a young director, he questioned Ingmar Bergman's status in Sweden and in the world with unusual fire and soul, believing the stories and camera work were to constructed and Bergmans characters too stiff. On the other hand, Bergman was very impressed with Widerberg's films, but the two directors never met.

Left school at 17, then deserted from the army after being conscripted, but was able to avoid prosecution. By the time he was 22 he had published a novel and short story collection.

Not a friend of good planning, he sometimes rewrote parts of the script in the margins of a newspaper while sitting on the can in the morning, before going to the shoot. He flourished under chaos, with everything happening fast and in no particular order. This was extremely demanding for the crew, never really knowing what to except, but everybody agreed it was a great way to get the energy up for every day.

Suffered from bipolar disorder but only agreed treatment in his later years.

Favoured natural lighting in his films and considered black & white photography as too stark and stylised.