Barabbas is a 1953 Swedish drama film directed by Alf Sjöberg. It is based on the novel Barabbas by Pär Lagerkvist. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. Being one of the biggest Swedish productions of its time, it is today unknown to the big masses, both internationally and in its native Sweden. In 1961 an American adaption of the same novel was released, starring Anthony Quinn in the leading part. After a year of preparations, the shooting started in the spring of 1952 in Israel and Rome, and then moved on for interior scenes in Sweden during the summer. As the assigned cinematographer Göran Strindberg became ill early during the production, the still up-and-coming Sven Nykvist, later star cinematographer for Ingmar Bergman, had to replace him for the exterior shots. Additional filming occurred during the autumn and even into December.