Ingmar Bergman revisited : performance, cinema and the arts

Ingmar Bergman Revisited is a collection of new essays based on a major international symposium held in Stockholm in 2005 on the legacy of one of cinema’s most towering figures. Moving beyond simple auteurist readings of Bergman as a cinematic artist, the writings here evaluate the theatrical and literary sides of Bergman’s work to reconsider the achievements of the Swedish director, up to his last film Saraband (2003). Several essays result from research in Bergman’s own personal archive, and amongst the subjects discussed are Bergman’s stage adaptations of Shakespeare, his fascination with still photography and issues of identity, and the influence of philosophy and psychology on his work. With contributors including Thomas Elsaesser, Birgitta Steene, John Orr, Janet Staiger and Paisley Livingston, and a prologue written by Liv Ullmann, Ingmar Bergman Revisited forms a landmark study of one of Sweden’s great cultural icons, emphasising how Bergman should be understood with reference to an eclectic range of his artistic interests.