At Showroom Cinema, we pride ourselves on giving audiences the chance to watch a wide variety of films from cinema history. Every Sunday at 14.30 throughout August, we celebrate the works of one of cinema's most influential auteurs, Ingmar Bergman. Throughout the month we will show five of his most acclaimed and daring works, encompassing a long career that shaped the film world as we know it.
“One of the most revelatory voices to emerge from the postwar explosion of international art-house cinema, Bergman was a master storyteller who startled the world with his stark intensity and naked pursuit of the most profound metaphysical and spiritual questions.” – Criterion Collection
Kicking off on Sunday 2 August is a Cannes prize-winning comedy that inspired Woody Allen, Stephen Sondheim et al, Smiles of a Summer Night (1955). The film brings together various couples – current, past or would-be – in a country house in 1900, and cheerily observes their often less-than-honest interactions as they strive to fulfil their various desires. Pithily scripted, elegantly shot and designed, performed to perfection by a superb cast, it brought Bergman international renown.
Next, on Sunday 9 August is Wild Strawberries (1957), where after living a life marked by coldness, an aging professor is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence. It is often included in the best films of all time lists, and won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
On Sunday 16 August is The Seventh Seal (1957), considered a classic in the history of cinema, as well as one of the greatest films of all time. It established Bergman as a director, containing scenes which have become iconic through homages, critical analysis, and parodies. The film tells the story of a knight, playing a game of chess with Death.
Sunday 23 August brings to screens arguably Bergman’s most famous and discussed film, Persona (1966). In the film, a nurse is put in charge of a mute actress and finds that their personae are melding together. Liv Ullmann stars in this captivating and bewildering psychological drama.
Closing out the season on Sunday 30 August is Cries and Whispers (1972). This existential drama concerns two sisters, Karin and Maria, keeping vigil for a third, Agnes, who is dying of cancer and can find solace only in the arms of a beatific servant. Tickets start from £6 for 16-25 year olds and Showroom Members, and are available to purchase now from: https://showroomcinema.org.uk/festivals/5-by-bergman
By Sam Howe, Digital Marketing and Programming Coordinator
Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2BX
Bike racks, nearby tram parking, tram and bus access
