Swedish-born Birgitta Steene, PhD, is professor emerita in cinema studies and Scandinavian literature at the University of Washington and has also been a professor in the film department at Stockholm University. She is the recipient of an honoris causa doctorate from her alma mater, the University of Uppsala. The author of numerous books and articles on Scandinavian drama and film, Birgitta Steene has focused much of her research on Ingmar Bergman and has lectured extensively on the subject throughout the world.