Mario Grut(1930-2007)

Mario Grut, born 1930 in Gothenburg, was a Swedish writer, translator and photographer. Brought up in Thailand, studied in Sweden, France and USA, recruited to the Stockholm newspaper Aftonbladet in the late 50's by the editor/author Karl Vennberg. There he wrote culture chronicles, film and theater reviews, and he remained faithful to the newspaper throughout his life. In 1958 he married Birgitta Sundén and together they toured Europe on a vespa, making friends with Ezra Pound and other nobilities. Besides working as a culture journalist he was involved in filmmaking, directing and cinematography. "Tre städer/Three Cities" (1968) was filmed in Dublin, Alger and Dimitrovgrad, together with director/writer Berndt Klyvare. Mario Grut was a brilliant language equilibrists known for his interpretations of Jean-Paul Sartre, Brendan Beehan, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Shelagh Delaney and Isaac Deutscher. Mario Grut died outside his summer house on Gotland, with his head facing the sea, in July 2007.