24 – 31 August

One of a handful of directors to have irrevocably altered the language of cinema, Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) penetrated the human condition and the frailty of the soul. His films often focussed on existential themes of loss, despair and death, but also held glimmers of hope through the transformative power of faith and redemption. Bergman drew upon a repertory company of actors and crew, among them Oscar winning cinematographer Sven Nykvist, cinematic axiom Max von Sydow and the particularly strong and assertive female leads Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann.

Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Sweden 1960 88mins 35mm
When a devout young girl is raped and killed by goat herders, the most sacred beliefs of her deeply religious parents are challenged as they become consumed by a violent need for justice and revenge. Based on a medieval ballad set in 14th century Sweden, this allegorical tale examines the conflicts of a society transitioning from Paganism to Christianity. It is also notable for being the unlikely inspiration for Wes Craven’s notorious nasty Last House on the Left. Stars Birgitta Valberg and Max von Sydow. Print courtesy of the ACMI collection.

Winner Oscar Best Foreign Language Film 1961

Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Sweden 1972 91mins 35mm
Terminally ill Agnes is joined at her bedside by sisters Maria and Karin as she waits to die. But as her sisters’ jealousies and resentment surface, much of Agnes’ emotional comfort is left to Anna her devoted and fatalistic maid. Through a series of flashbacks, the inner lives of these women are examined as each one recounts a painful moment in their lives in this intense, disturbing and powerful family drama about repression, spirituality, sexual passion, hatred and death. Stars Harriet Andersson, Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann. Print courtesy of the ACMI collection.

Listed in 1001 Films You Must See Before You Die

Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Sweden 1957 93mins 35mm
As a cynical, ageing academic, travels with his daughter-in-law to receive an honorary University degree, he also embarks on a journey from emotional isolation to personal redemption. Reliving his past through a series of memories and dreams that blur reality and imagination, Professor Borg recalls his childhood with its wild strawberry patch and his childhood sweetheart, his elderly mother alone in her large house, and his long-dead wife, bitter and disappointed by her husband’s inability to love. Stars Bibi Andersson, Max Von Sydow and Victor Sjöström. Print courtesy of the ACMI collection.

Winner Golden Berlin Bear Berlin Film Festival 1958
Listed in 1001 Films You Must See Before You Die