Series Site
January 16–February 28, 2026
Victor Sjöström (1879–1960) and Mauritz Stiller (1883–1928), a Finnish director who worked in Sweden, were two of the leading lights of the Swedish Golden Age of silent cinema. Both worked with cinematographers Henrik and Julius Jaenzon to create films that are noted for their distinctive location shooting and naturalist aesthetic. Sjöström, who enjoyed a long career, made significant contributions as a director and an actor. His legacy forms the backbone of the Swedish film tradition that would inspire later filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman, Gustaf Molander, Alf Sjöberg, and Jan Troell. Stiller was a prolific filmmaker but died relatively young.
Both Sjöstrom and Stiller were lured to Hollywood. Sjöstrom, who changed his name to Seastrom, made films in the United States between 1923 and 1930, including The Wind, starring Lillian Gish. Stiller was initially contracted by MGM and then Paramount Pictures, where he made three successful films, but he ran into conflicts with the structure of the studio system and returned to Sweden. He is perhaps best known for discovering Greta Garbo and bringing her to the United States.
This series features a selection of each director’s best films, presented on imported 35mm prints and digital restorations courtesy of the Swedish Film Institute (SFI). Jon Wengström, Senior Curator of the Archival Collections, SFI, will be our guest to launch the series and will present an illustrated lecture on Sjöström.
—Susan Oxtoby, Director of Film and Senior Film Curator