Kallifatides, Theodor

Theodor Kallifatides is a Greek novelist, poet, essayist, playwright, screenwriter and director. He immigrated to Sweden in 1964 and has lived in the country ever since. He has been described as the best writer alive in Sweden and as one of the greatest Swedish intellectuals. He has served as the Director of Swedish Television and in 1995 Sweden assigned him the speech for its national holiday.

Kallifatides was born in the village Molaoi, in Laconia, Greece in 1938. His father was Dimitrios Kallifatides, a teacher originated from Pontus and his mother was Antonia Kyriazakou from Molaoi. In 1946, he and his family moved to Athens where he finished high school and studied in the Karolos Koun's Theatrical School. In 1964, he immigrated to Sweden. He studied philosophy, and has worked as a lecturer at Stockholm University between 1969 and 1972 and then as chief of Bonniers Litterära Magasin between 1972 and 1976.

Kallifatides made his literary debut in 1969 with a poetry book but gained recognition mainly through his subsequently published novels. He has published novels, poetry collections, travel essays and plays. He has written film scripts and has directed a film (Kärleken, 1980). He has also translated Greek authors into Swedish and vice versa. He has published 40 books in Swedish, eighteen of which are also available in Greek.

Kallifatides has received numerous awards for his works which usually revolve around memories of his homeland and of being Greek in foreign domains, and his life as a Greek abroad. Almost all his works have been translated and published in more than twenty languages.