The Screen Adaptations of Ulla Isaksson’s Fiction

Ulla Isaksson is one of the most significant Swedish authors of the postwar era. Her fiction centers on female experiences such as childbirth, women’s professional lives, sexual violence, and feminism. This book examines Isaksson’s work as a writer for the screen, with particular focus on her collaboration with director Ingmar Bergman from the 1950s to the 1980s. The book explores the genesis of the films, the interplay between literature and cinema, and how Isaksson was portrayed in marketing materials and critical reception. Drawing on unique archival material—including correspondence between writer and director, personal notes, and script drafts—it offers insight into a collaborative and exploratory filmmaking process. The study presents fresh perspectives on well-known films and sheds light on lesser-discussed works. It reveals how auteur cinema, typically analyzed through the lens of the director, is in fact shaped by collaborative creation.