After achieving international recognition in the 1950's with such films as Det Sjunde Inseglet (aka The Seventh Seal), Smultronstället (aka Wild Strawberries) and Sommarnattens Leende (aka Smiles of a Summer Night), Ingmar Berman became one of the world's best known filmmakers for his emotionally intense portraits of souls in crisis, but the man himself developed a reputation for zealously guarding his privacy throughout his long and distinguished career. In 2004, Bergman sat for a series of interviews with filmmaker Marie Nyreroed, a longtime friend and confidant, for a documentary produced for Swedish television, and the results became Bergman Complete, a three-part series which explored the man and his work in depth. The first segment focuses on Bergman's life as a filmmaker, as he discusses his best-known pictures and his working methods. Part two concentrates on Bergman's lesser-known career in the theater, which he rates higher than his work in the cinema, and features reminiscences from actor Erland Josephson. In the final chapter, Bergman invites the filmmakers into his home on Faro Island and talks about his private life, including his hobbies, the emotions that drive his work, and his personal weaknesses. After receiving its premiere on Swedish television, Bergman Complete played at a number of international film festivals, including the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
by Mark Deming
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