2018, The Year of Bergman: An Overview

2018 is set to be a fantastic cultural year in memory of Ingmar Bergman. The world-renowned Swedish director and writer was born in Uppsala, Sweden, on 14 July 1918, and the 100-Year Jubilee, which begins this autumn and continues throughout 2018, will be celebrated across the globe.

The Ingmar Bergman Foundation was assigned by the Swedish government to co-ordinate and communicate the events taking place during the 100-Year Jubilee. The Foundation has put together a presentation of the global events planned thus far; including theatre performances, new films on Bergman, retrospectives of his own films, exhibitions, conferences, and much more.

On Monday 18 September, the Bergman 100-Year Jubilee will be launched in London by the Ingmar Bergman Foundation along with the Swedish Embassy. We are delighted to present Liv Ullmann as the guest of honour throughout the day’s events, as she shares memories and tales of her time with Ingmar Bergman.

– We are very pleased to present an overview of the various activities planned to celebrate the Ingmar Bergman 100-Year Jubilee. There is a great interest in Bergman, due in large part to the successful theatrical stagings based on his works. Nevertheless, we are surprised by just how much is already planned for the 100-Year Jubilee, states Jan Holmberg, CEO of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation.

– Ingmar Bergman has enriched, not only my life, but an entire world through his masterpieces in film, literature and theatre. The celebration of the Ingmar Bergman centenary throughout 2018 will truly acknowledge him as one of the most influential and creative icons in cinematic history. I am convinced that his vast legacy will continue to rightfully honour his brilliant artistry, says Liv Ullmann.

Highlight of 2018 Events

World’s largest jubilee of a single filmmaker, a true international event, co-ordinated though not instigated by the Ingmar Bergman Foundation.

Centenary will take in all of Bergman’s artistry: as a filmmaker, man of the theatre, writer.

Commemoration, but also inspiration to new works: films, stagings, books, dance performances, musical compositions, etc.

Dozens (and counting) of large-scale Ingmar Bergman retrospectives at cinematheques and film festivals around the world.

At least five film or television documentaries on Bergman (one Swedish, two German, one French, one Finnish).

First-ever Bergman remake, Scenes From a Marriage, to be produced and broadcast internationally within the year, showrunner Hagai Levi (In Treatment, The Affair).

Publication of Ingmar Bergman’s Writings, including his ‘work diaries’, unfilmed manuscripts and other works never before published. (Also: publication of several new books on Ingmar Bergman).

Several travelling and fixed exhibitions, including at The Museum of Performing Arts in Stockholm, Sweden.

Fifty-odd new Bergman stagings, including (but certainly not limited to) the following:

• Scenes From a Marriage, dir. Thomas Bendixen with Sofie Gråbøl, Morten Kirkskov, opening 31 Aug 2017, Det Kgl Teater (The Royal Playhouse), Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Autumn Sonata (opera), composer Sebastian Fagerlund, dir. Stéphane Braunschweig, with Anne Sofie von Otter, Erika Sunnegårdh, opening 8 Sep 2017, Finnish National Opera, Helsinki, Finland.
• The Serpent’s Egg, dir. Anne Lenk, with Franz Pätzold, Nora Buzalka, opening 30 Sep 2017, Cuvilliés-Theater, Munich, Germany.
• Scenes From a Marriage, dir. Paige Rattray with Marta Dusseldorp, Ben Winspear, opening 11 Nov 2017, Queensland Theatre, Queensland, Australia.
• Private Confessions, dir. Liv Ullmann, opening 6 Dec 2017, Kennedy Center, Washington DC, US.
• The Hour of the Wolf (as a puppet theatre), dir. Jan Müller, opening 27 Jan 2018, Theater Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany.
• Hommage à Bergman, new dance works by Mats Ek, Johan Inger and Alexander Ekman, opening 9 June 2018, Theâtre des Champs Elysées, Paris, France.
• Fanny and Alexander, dir. Eva Bergman, opening Dec 2018, Gothenburg City Theatre, Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival, Aug–Sep 2018, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm, Sweden.

A complete and updated timeline is available at www.ingmarbergman.se, which also features a calendar of the entire Bergman 100-Year Jubilee, with detailed information on the various events.

Press materials, including Bergman portraits, film stills and logos for free use, are available at: http://www.ingmarbergman.se/en/press

The website www.ingmarbergman.se will be updated on a regular basis. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates: http://www.ingmarbergman.se/en/newsletter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IngmarBergmanFoundation

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ingmar_bergman_foundation/

Twitter: @IB_Foundation

Official hashtag: #Bergman100

For further press information, please contact:
Åsa Jacobsson, Ingmar Bergman Foundation
E-mail: asa.jacobsson@ingmarbergman.se
Mobile: +46 (0)76 116 42 17

For interview requests and press images regarding the Press Event Launch, please contact:
Stephanie Bonn, Zap PR
E-mail: stephanie@zap-pr.com
Mobile: +46 (0)70 775 61 10

About the Ingmar Bergman Foundation
The Ingmar Bergman Foundation was created by the initiative of Ingmar Bergman himself in 2002. The mission of the foundation is to administrate the Ingmar Bergman Archive and to disseminate information about Ingmar Bergman and his works. The Foundation is furthermore engaged in promoting interest in and knowledge of Swedish film and culture. The Ingmar Bergman Archive is one of the world’s largest personal archives of an individual filmmaker, and was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2007. Additionally, the Foundation owns the performing rights to Bergman’s scripts.

About #Bergman100
The year 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of Ingmar Bergman: world-famous filmmaker, legendary theatre director and exceptional writer. After his passing in 2007, Bergman has furthermore become one of Scandinavia’s most-performed playwrights. Ingmar Bergman was born in Uppsala on 14 July 1918, and the Jubilee, beginning during autumn 2017 and continuing throughout 2018, will take place over the entire world, with theatrical performances, exhibitions, documentaries, film retrospectives, book releases and festivals.