I am obsessed with Ingmar Bergman. He is the most human filmmaker, unafraid to tackle the most uncomfortable topics.

A couple years back, I went on a Bergman deep-dive. I crushed about a dozen of his films in very short order. I had every intention to continue, but then life really lifed in a really not-so-nice way, so everything has been put on pause.

But just recounting, ruminating, on what all I watched, and what all it made me feel...

I must say, Ingmar is, in my humble opinion, the most "human" filmmaker. I mean that in the sense that he is a filmmaker who is totally unafraid to take, head-on, the most uncomfortable parts of the human condition. Each of his films deals with some deeply human, often complex yet entirely natural, thematic, from death/morality to religion to sexuality/sensuality to shame to hate, and so on. Frankly, how much he humanizes these characters, to the point you in some case wish to spit in their faces for how nasty they are, is chilling... and of course just as much kudos to the incredible actors he collaborated with throughout his career.

My favourites are Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and a toss-up between Hour of the Wolf and Cries and Whispers. Yes, I've seen all the classics and loved them dearly, but these aforementioned ones stood out to \me\ most for some reason or another. Through a Glass Darkly especially might be my favourite film ever. I was stunned watching it for the first time, frankly feeling called out, which I'd never felt by a film. Winter Light... big, difficult, questions I ongoing struggle with myself... and both Hour of the Wolf and Cries and Whispers... deep feelings of hate/detest, which I ashamedly harbour myself... I can be a real piece of shit.

The only film of those which I saw which I didn't absolutely love was The Virgin Spring, though it was still great- Bergman can do no wrong.

Although I didn't cite The Silence among my top-3, it's still way up there, and I very often recommend the faith "trilogy" (although I'm aware he later denounced referring to it as such, iirc).

Wild Strawberries is perhaps the most sentimental film I've seen? I saw someone somewhere refer to it as a horror, which I can't fathom.

Persona was a landmine I'm still trying to unpack and possibly maybe never will- will require multiple viewings!

Shame was fantastic.

Seventh Seal, it doesn't require me to say anything...

Anyways, drawing blanks now, it's late here, just wanted to get this off my chest.

I so, so, look forward to exploring so much more of Mr. Bergman's work, the one I really wish to do next being Autumn Sonata!

I think my all-time favourite filmmaker now that I'm "grown up"... once you've taken in his films, something changes in you, some "switch" occurs, I swear... you suffer the bs and facades much less, and care much less for Hollywood crap. His films made me a more serious person. I know that maybe sounds absurd, but I swear it.

I'd actually love some recommendations for other words by other directors to check out who maybe are so "human".