Jörn Donner

Jörn Donner studied at University of Helsinki and Svenska normallyceum. The recorded working language is Finnish and Swedish. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are essay and fiction. Places of work recorded in the authority are Strasbourg, Brussels and Helsinki. Positions recorded include Member of the European Parliament and member of the Parliament of Finland. Distinctions recorded are Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, Professor, Finlandia Award and Swedish Academy Finland Prize.

• Name — Jörn Donner • Birth Name — Jörn Johan Donner • Born — 5 February 1933 • Died — 30 January 2020 • Birthplace — Helsinki, Finland • Place of death — Helsinki, Finland • Spouse — Inga-Britt Wik (1954–1962) Jeanette Bonnier (1974–1988) Bitte Westerlund (1995–2020) • Awards — Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1983 Fanny and Alexander

Born into the Finland-Swedish Donner family of German descent, Jörn Donner was the youngest son of the linguist Kai Reinhold Donner and Margareta von Bonsdorff, and the grandson of linguist and politician Otto Donner. After graduating from the Svenska normallyceum in 1951, he earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Helsinki in 1959. Donner began his career in journalism and criticism in the 1950s. He was the publisher of the magazine Arena (1951–1954), an editor for Ny Tid (1952–1953), and worked as a literary or film critic for numerous publications, including Vapaa Sana (1952–1955), Päivän Sanomat (1957–1958), Nya Pressen (1951–1959), Bonniers Litterära Magasin (1959–1962), Ylioppilaslehti (1961–1963), Hufvudstadsbladet (1952–1962), and Sweden's Dagens Nyheter (1960–1965). He was also a columnist for Hufvudstadsbladet starting in 1980. He lived and worked for long periods in Sweden, initially as a film director for Sandrews from 1963 to 1966, and later at the Swedish Film Institute, where he served as executive director (1972–1975), film producer (1975–1978), and managing director (1978–1982). He was also the managing director of his own company, Jörn Donner Productions, from 1966. In 1979, he was a member of the jury at the 29th Berlin International Film Festival. From 1981 to 1983, he was the chairman of the Finnish Film Foundation. Internationally Jörn Donner was best known as the producer of Ingmar Bergman's film Fanny and Alexander (Fanny och Alexander, 1982). In 1984 the movie won a total of four Academy Awards including the award for best foreign language film, making him to date the only Finn to receive an Oscar. His novel Far och son (Father and Son) won the Finlandia Prize in 1985. His earlier literary work was recognized with the State Prize for Literature in 1972 and the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland Prize in 1972, 1975, and 1981. In 1954 he married the Finnish writer Inga-Brit Wik; they had two children and divorced in 1962. Later Wik has described their marriage in her novels. Donner married in 1974 Jeanette Bonnier; they divorced in 1988. In 1995 Donner married the journalist Bitte Westerlund; they had two children. Donner has also two children from his previous relationships. He lived in 1960's eight years with Swedish actress Harriet Andersson and made five films with her. Andersson was also one of Ingmar Bergman's favourite actressess. Donner was associated with several different political parties, such as SDP and RKP, and was at different times a member both of the Finnish parliament and the European Parliament. He was chairman of the leftist artists' association Kiila from 1957 to 1958 and served on the Helsinki City Council in 1969–1972 and again from 1984. As of 2007 he was again a member of the Finnish parliament for a short while, after Eva Biaudet resigned to take a position at the OSCE. Donner suffered from prostate and lung cancers. He died of lung disease at Meilahti hospital in Helsinki on 30 January 2020, six days before his 87th birthday. After his death, an archive of thousands of photographs was discovered at his home, showing that Donner was also a skilled photographer. In 2023, Donner's widow Bitte Westerlund, revealed that she had thrown part of his ashes in the compost after discovering his history of infidelity. Most of the ashes were scattered into the sea, in accordance with Donner's wishes.

• Illustration — Donner, with actress Kristiina Halkola filming Black on White in 1967 • En söndag i september (A Sunday in September, 1963) • Att älska (To Love, 1964) • Här börjar äventyret (Adventure Starts Here, 1965) • Tvärbalk (Rooftree, 1967) • Stimulantia (1967) • Mustaa valkoisella (Black on White, 1968) • 69 – Sixtynine (1969) • Anna (1970) • Naisenkuvia (Portraits of Women, 1970) • Perkele! Kuvia Suomesta (1971) • Hellyys (1972) • Baksmälla (1973) • Near and Far Away (1976) • Ingmar Bergmanin maailma (1978) • Men Can't Be Raped (1978) • Bergman File, The (1978) • Yhdeksän tapaa lähestyä Helsinkiä (1982) • Hockeyfeber (1983) • Dirty Story (1984) • Brev från Sverige/Kirjeitä Ruotsista (1988) • Ingmar Bergman: Om liv och arbete (1998) • Presidentti (2000) • The Border (Raja 1918, 2007) • Kuulustelu (2009) • Armi elää! (2015)

Source: • Privata angelägenheter (1966) by Paavo Haavikko. Translated into Swedish by Donner. • Tala, svara, lära (1975) by Paavo Haavikko. Translated into Swedish by Donner. • Ringar i stubben. Dikter och småprosa 1918–1953 (1954) by Elmer Diktonius. Edited by Donner. • Kirjaimia ja kirjavia (1956) by Elmer Diktonius. Edited by Donner. • Kirjailija- ja taiteilijaryhmä Kiilan albumi VI (1954). Co-edited with Maija Savutie. • Diktonius, En bok på 60-ärsdagen den 20 januari 1956 (1956). Co-edited with Stig Carlson and Artur Lundkvist.

Jörn Donner was recorded at birth as Jörn Johan Donner. He also worked under the name Bjorn Thunder. His recorded languages were Finnish and Swedish. He was the child of Kai Donner. He married Jeanette Bonnier and Inga-Britt Wik. 2 children are recorded: Johan Donner and Rafael Donner. Other recorded relations include Lyyti.

Recorded positions include Member of the European Parliament, member of the Parliament of Finland, consul and municipal councillor in Finland. He worked at Strasbourg, Brussels, Helsinki and Los Angeles.

Jörn Donner is recorded as film director, politician, film producer, journalist and diplomat.