Ingmar Bergman Makes a Movie
1963 Swedish film
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Ingmar Bergman Makes a Movie (Swedish: Ingmar Bergman gör en film) is a 1963 Swedish documentary film directed by Vilgot Sjöman which depicts the making of Ingmar Bergman's film Winter Light from screenwriting to the film's premiere and critical reaction.
| Ingmar Bergman Makes a Movie | |
|---|---|
The Criterion Collection's DVD cover for the documentary. | |
| Directed by | Vilgot Sjöman |
Release date |
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Running time | 140 minutes |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
The film originally aired in five half-hour episodes on Swedish television. It has subsequently been included in a bonus disc of The Criterion Collection's box set of Bergman's "trilogy," Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Winter Light, and The Silence (1963).
Production
Sjöman was beginning to write screenplays, and wishing to learn about directing, asked Bergman if he could observe him making a film. Sjöman then approached Sveriges Television who were interested in airing a documentary about the process.[1] Shooting of the documentary began after the Winter Light screenplay was finished.[2]
Bergman allowed for Sjöman's crew to film rehearsals, but not the actual shooting. Bergman was also interviewed for the project.[1] The documentary was shot on 16 mm film.[3] After working with Bergman and on the documentary, Sjöman's own films received attention, starting with 491.[4]
Broadcast
The documentary began airing on SVT on 27 January 1963.[5] It was generally not available in Region 1 until The Criterion Collection released it in its Bergman trilogy box set.[3]
| No. | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Script" | |
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Sjöman interviews Bergman on the idea and themes of Winter Light, covers the location scouting, and interviews Sven Nykvist on the lighting. | ||
| 2 | "Filming, Part 1" | |
|
Sjöman observes actors Gunnar Björnstrand and Ingrid Thulin on set. | ||
| 3 | "Filming, Part 2" | |
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Sjöman interviews Bergman on how the filming process went, shortly before it completed in January 1962. | ||
| 4 | "Postproduction" | |
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Sjöman observes the editing process and interviews Bergman on the anticipated response to the film. | ||
| 5 | "The Premiere" | |
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Sjöman and Bergman review the critical response to the film. | ||
Reception
Writing for Epinions in 2007, scholar Stephen O. Murray called the film "A valuable document of a master craftsman working in top form." He also stated that "Sjöman comes across as very earnest and relatively probing."[6] Brian Burke of DVD Verdict called it the "best documentary I've ever seen on the filmmaking process," adding Bergman appears "candid, relaxed, and animated."[7]
Swedish musicologist Per F. Broman said the documentary has "fascinating insights" into the use of sound in the film.[2] In 2015, Dagens Nyheter referred to the documentary as slightly forgotten, but noted SVT would be rerunning it along with other Bergman-related programming between 25 October and 27 December.[8]