Honorary Doctors

The appointing of Honorary Doctors is a way for us to reward and show our appreciation to people who have contributed to research and education at the School of Film Directing, and who have been significant for the art of film.
 

Agnès Varda - honorary doctor 2008

The filmmaker Agnès Varda have been appointed as 2008's honorary doctor at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Gothenburg. The decision was taken by the Faculty Board together with the School of Film Directing.

Film maker Agnès Varda (b. 1928) is known as a leading light and the grandmother of the French New Wave. Five years before the movement gained a foothold, Agnès Varda's narrative technique, filming amateurs in outdoor environments, was a great contrast to the traditions of filming in studio. Her first film, "La Pointe Courte" from 1954, has been called the first film in the spirit of the French New Wave and had an impact not just on French film, but also on American film. The social engagements and political conviction displays in both her documentary films and her feature films.

Agnès Varda has influenced several generations of filmmakers through films as “Cleo from 5-7” (Cléo de 5 à 7), “Vagabond” (Sans toit ni loi ) and “The Gleaners and I” (Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse).

Over the years Agnès Varda has received over 20 international awards, including awards at the film festival in Berlin, Venice and Chigago. Her autobiographical feature film, “The Beaches of Agnès” (Les Plages d `Agnes), is about her family and her love of cinematics. It world premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2008. She remains an active filmmaker.

- Agnès Varda symbolises personal and self-willed filmmakers who have a burning commitment to reality, humanity and life. Her enterprise and attitude is a great source of inspiration for the growth and development of the School of Film Directing, says Gunilla Burstedt, Director of the School of Film Directing.

Monika Tunbäck-Hanson  – honorary doctor  2006

Monika Tunbäck-Hanson has been appointed Honorary Doctor of Philosophy at the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts at the University of Gothenburg.

Monika Tunbäck-Hanson is a film critic and culture journalist, who, since the mid-sixties, has written film and literature reviews in the cultural section of the Gothenburg newspaper ‘Göteborgs-Posten’. She has been both an editorial secretary and editor-in-chief for ‘Göteborgs-Posten’ and has been extremely important for the development of the newspaper’s culture editorial office. Her analytical ability and her talent in conveying knowledge by way of descriptive art has been of great importance for Swedish film criticism.



Monika Tunbäck-Hanson has taken an active part in Swedish film politics; during the seventies and eighties she was a member of the Swedish Film Institute’s jury in the allocation of ‘Quality of Swedish Film’ funding. In 1987 she received an award called ‘Filmpennan’ (the Film Pen), which is awarded by an Association called ‘Filmpublicisternas Förening’ (The Film Publicists’ Association). In 1992 she was awarded the Swedish Academy’s prize, the Karin Gierow prize, for her talent in conveying knowledge by way of descriptive art. She is also president of the jury for the Gothenburg Film Festival’s Nordic Film Prize.

Monika Tunbäck-Hanson is an enthusiast of the highest degree, who, with her enthusiasm, curiosity and generosity, has worked for the art of film, for the University of Gothenburg, for the Gothenburg Film Festival, and, not least, for the coming into being of our school at the University of Gothenburg in 1997.
 

Roy Andersson - honorary doctor 2001

On Saturday 21st April 2001, the University of Gothenburg conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy on the film director Roy Andersson. 
Roy Andersson is one of today’s great contemporary film directors.

During his years as a film director Roy Andersson has developed a personal film style and an approach to the art of film that every serious filmmaker must take a stand on.



It feels extra special for our film school that he has been appointed Honorary Doctor. He is a regular guest lecturer at our school and is a source of inspiration for both students and teachers in that his artistry is consistent and society-oriented, says Göran du Rées, Professor at the School of Film Directing in Gothenburg:

-It almost seems like a coincidence that at the same time as Roy started working on the film ‘Sånger från andra våningen’ (Songs from the Second Floor), our film directing programme was in the process of being established, and at the same time as his film had its premiere and he was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, the Ministry of Education informed us that our film programme was to become permanent as one of the two film directing programmes in Sweden.

Roy Andersson was among the first students to complete film school at the Swedish Film Institute. Since then he has directed a number of films that have attracted much attention. His first film from 1970, ‘En kärlekshistoria’ (A Love Story) was a great success, and after that followed ‘Giliap’ in 1975. Between the years 1975-1990, Roy Andersson produced a great number of commercial films that were awarded prizes all over the world.