Vivica Bandler

Vivica Aina Fanny Bandler (5 February 1917 – 30 July 2004) was a Finnish theatre director and agronomist. She bought a theatre (Lilla Teatern) in Helsinki in 1955 and is credited for popularizing avant-garde Finnish theatre. She was also theatre director in Oslo (1967-69) and at the Stockholm City Theatre (1969-1979). She studied agronomy, graduating in 1943. She then maintained her family home, Saari Manor, a historic home located in Tammela, Finland.

Theatre work

After the war she started working in an amateur theatre in Tammela.

In 1939, she founded Helsinki's first Swedish student theatre, Studentteatern. Bandler also served as director of the theatre. When visiting film directors came to film in Finland she often served as translator, such as Jacques Feyder. She was also a Commander of the Order of the Polar Star.

Legacy

Film director Tuija-Maija Niskanen made the film based on Bandler's life.