Gunvor Nelson: A Life in Film

November 12–21, 2025

Gunvor Nelson (1931–2025) was an acclaimed Swedish experimental filmmaker who was based in the Bay Area for nearly four decades. Nelson made personal films that explored her own life and experiences. John Sundholm of Stockholm University will speak about Nelson’s life and work, giving context to these special films. 

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  • Gunvor Nelson: My Name Is Oona, 1969

  • Gunvor Nelson, Dorothy Wiley: Fog Pumas, 1967

  • Gunvor Nelson: Light Years, 1987

  • Gunvor Nelson: Time Being, 1991

  • Gunvor Nelson, Dorothy Wiley: Before Need Redressed, 1994

  • James Thomas Vale: Oona Is My Daughter’s Name, 1974

  • Upcoming
    Films
  • Upcoming
    Events
  • Selected
    Objects
  • Past
    Films
  • Past
    Events

Past Films

  • Gunvor Nelson: Program 1

    Wednesday, November 12 7 PM
    Steve Anker, Lynne Sachs, and John Sundholm in Conversation

    Gunvor Nelson’s My Name Is Oona, a hypnotic portrait of the artist’s daughter and an essential classic of experimental cinema, screens with Schmeerguntz, a touchstone of feminist cinema, and Frame Line and Light Years, made in Sweden.

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  • Gunvor Nelson: Program 2

    Sunday, November 16 2 PM
    Introduced by John Sundholm

    A program featuring completed films by Gunvor Nelson that were never released. These copies were part of Nelson’s personal film collection, given to the Swedish Film Institute. John Sundholm of Stockholm University will speak about Nelson’s life and work, giving context to these special films. 

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  • Gunvor Nelson: Program 3

    Friday, November 21 7 PM
    Introduced by Steve Anker

    Gunvor Nelson’s interest in familial relations is central to Red Shift and Time Being. In her collaboration with Dorothy Wiley, Before Need Redressed, they consider the passage of time and how reflection can alter the shape of a film.

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