About Bergman

World-famous filmmaker, legendary theatre director and exceptional writer.

Ernst Ingmar Bergman, born on the 14th of July, 1918 in Uppsala, died on the 30th of July, 2007 on Fårö, was a Swedish film and theatre director, writer, theatre manager, dramatist and author. Ingmar Bergman wrote or directed more than 60 films and 170 theatrical productions, and authored over a hundred books and articles. Among his best-known works are the films The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries and Persona, as well as his autobiography The Magic Lantern.

Throughout Bergman’s many works, one finds variations on a central theme: dysfunctional families, blood-sucking failed artists and an absent Almighty all become manifestations of our collective inability to communicate with each other.

Shakespeare, Molière, Ibsen, and Strindberg were all enormously important influences on Bergman, not only in his theatrical work, but indeed the entirety of his artistic career.

Bergman’s films are set almost exclusively in Sweden, and starting with 1961’s Through a Glass Darkly, they were filmed primarily on the small island of Fårö, northeast of Gotland. The international reception of Bergman’s films reflects a not inconsiderable fascination with a Scandinavian exoticism: inscrutable language, primeval nature and flaxen-haired women. The depiction of nudity and a “natural” sexuality in Bergman’s films contributed to their success.

Looking over Bergman’s career, another hallmark of both his work for stage and film is the recurrent company of loyal collaborators. Some notable examples from this ensemble include the cinematographer Sven Nykvist, the actors Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, and the costume designer Mago.

The relationship between the life and works of the artist (despite the tendency of biographical analyses to fall victim to the cult of genius) is in the case of Ingmar Bergman as inextricably tangled as it is compelling. In countless interviews and artistic representations, and especially in The Magic Lantern, Bergman repeatedly referred to his childhood and its importance for his artistic vision. A number of his relatives were also creative colleagues.

Read more about the filmmaker, theatre director and author.

Timeline

Ingmar Bergman’s extensive output includes around 60 films for cinema and TV, 172 theatre productions, approximately 300 writings and nine children. The following timeline provides a handy diagram of his life’s work.

  • Röd
    Movie
  • Gul
    Theater
  • Grön
    Writings
  1. 2007

  2. 2006

  3. 2005

  4. 2004

  5. 2003

  6. 2002

  7. 2001

  8. 2000

  9. 1999

  10. 1998

  11. 1997

  12. 1996

  13. 1995

  14. 1994

  15. 1993

  16. 1992

  17. 1991

  18. 1990

  19. 1989

  20. 1988

  21. 1987

  22. 1986

  23. 1985

  24. 1984

  25. 1983

  26. 1982

  27. 1981

  28. 1980

  29. 1979

  30. 1978

  31. 1977

  32. 1976

  33. 1975

  34. 1974

  35. 1973

  36. 1972

  37. 1971

  38. 1970

  39. 1969

  40. 1968

  41. 1967

  42. 1966

  43. 1965

  44. 1964

  45. 1963

  46. 1962

  47. 1961

  48. 1960

  49. 1959

  50. 1958

  51. 1957

  52. 1956

  53. 1955

  54. 1954

  55. 1953

  56. 1952

  57. 1951

  58. 1950

  59. 1949

  60. 1948

  61. 1947

  62. 1946

  63. 1945

  64. 1944

  65. 1943

  66. 1942

  67. 1941

  68. 1940

  69. 1939

  70. 1938

  71. 1937

  72. 1936

  73. 1935

  74. 1934

  75. 1933

  76. 1932

  77. 1931

  78. 1930

  79. 1929

  80. 1928

  81. 1927

  82. 1926

  83. 1925

  84. 1924

  85. 1923

  86. 1922

  87. 1921

  88. 1920

  89. 1919

  90. 1918