Ingmar Bergman

“Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.” Ingmar Bergman was an influential Swedish screenwriter, film and theater director. His films are known for reflecting on and exploring themes such as existence, religion, death and human relationships. He graduated in Literature and Art History at the University of Stockholm and found in film a means of expression to enhance his creativity. The world of religion influenced his childhood, and many of his works are inspired by his fears and violent relationships. He broke into the film industry with Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) and continued his religious quest in The Seventh Seal (1957); that same year, he released Wild Strawberries (1957)—both films won numerous awards. His intense film activity did not prevent him from continuing to direct plays. In 1966, he directed Persona, one of the most important films of his career, which condenses all his previous work. In this masterpiece of modern cinema, he explores the notion of identity and the duality of the human being. Other outstanding titles are Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Hour of the Wolf (1968), and Fanny and Alexander (1982). His work has had a great influence on world cinema and has been the subject of numerous academic studies and tributes.