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".

I've been meaning to tackle my Criterion set for a while now. I only know Wild Strawberries and Seventh Seal. Currently got a Lynch Marathon at hand, October will be Horror, November Twin Peaks and December christmas themed. In I'll definitely watch the set in january.

Gosh, I wish I saw what they replied and wonder why it was removed by the moderator.

It was me. Nothing too meaningful to be honest. Just saying I've been meaning to tackle his work soon. Got removed by automod for not meeting length requirements...

It's interesting how international audiences almost never mention Fanny and Alexander, when that's Bergman's most popular film in Sweden. Please watch the five hour version, it's a marvel.

I’ve seen most of his films—and love them—but recently watched his little-discussed film “Brink of Life.” So simple and so beautiful, it blew me away. In fact, it’s the only Bergman film to make me cry!😢

I love Bergman too! I agree with you on Through the Glass Darkly. Watching the father go away from the family and hide in the dark to cry was so earth shatteringly real.

I gotta say though, you gotta watch Autumn Sonata! Some people say that Fanny and Alexander is his opus, but Autumn Sonata truly is. It has everything you could ever want from a Bergman film

If you haven’t seen it, I’d strongly recommend “My Dinner with Andre”, but only after Autumn Sonata, as it’s specifically referenced

Also, Tarkovsky, if you haven’t seen his films, are the most like Bergman’s. The two had mutual respect for each other’s work in life.

Finally, Terrance Malick’s films are deep and contemplative (for the most part…), but his films aren’t quite as dark as Bergman’s

He’s a nazi. Only white people think Bergman is some kind of humanist genius. He’s a pretetntious hack that threw everyone under the bus in search of eternal life. Watch his films again and you’ll notice the vapid emptiness of it all.

It's Bergman doing his version of Charles Dickens, and it is truly magnificent. It's my absolute favorite of all his movies.

Two other deeply human filmmakers:

Satyajit Ray \- Such deep pathos for humans in all his films. His is more of a focus on the societal context, rather than the psychological which Bergman looks at. But Ray is similarly ‘happy’ to plumb real uncomfortable depths of the human condition. So many of his films are crushing emotionally whilst still being so beautiful. Unlike Bergman, he’s a much more straight filmmaker in that he puts the story up on screen and lets it do the talking. His use of music, transitions and great photography is always measured and in service to and secondary to the story, whereas Bergman will dive a bit deeper here. Not passing any judgement here, just observing their approaches. But he is up there with the ‘deeply humane’ greats.

David Lynch \- People are too often distracted by the weird and surreal and the quirky which surrounds Lynch. They can often forget that all his work is intensely focused on the human condition. Specifically the mystical / mysterious nature of our minds and how we exist in and relate to the world / reality around us. He really taps into deeper realms of consciousness and how we as humans live in a blurry fuzzy world that doesn’t make any sense, yet subconsciously it does. That Persona was such a big influence on him says a lot about interests that he and Bergman shared.

i was majorly put off from his filmography when I read somewhere he is just off loading his childhood trauma and religious parent upbringing which I could not then unsee.... I mean it's okay for an artist to find a sense of catharsis through their work but watching some one do that year after year all their life's work starts to get boring

thats what introduced mew to bergman, nevertheless Smultronstället is go to

agreed with all other recommendations + will add tsai ming-liang (if you haven't seen his films already of course). i might start with stray dogs. you may feel the films are speaking to you directly
also if you would like any non-narrative films i can recommend some