After living a life marked by coldness, an aging professor is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence. Eschewing his reputation for the aloof and coldly austere, this warm, welcoming road movie of aged reflection is possibly Ingmar Bergman’s finest film and certainly a landmark in film history.

Wild Strawberries screens as part of Ingmar Bergman’s Imperial Phase at Adelaide Cinematheque

Ingmar Bergman’s Imperial Phase

Between 1957 and 1960, Ingmar Bergman underwent an explosive burst of creative genius that permanently redefined international cinema, transitioning from a respected director into a global cultural titan. Bergman confronted the silence of God, the terror of mortality, and the fragility of the human psyche with a bold, unprecedented visual vocabulary. With the stark, unforgettable cinematography of Gunnar Fischer and legendary actors including Max von Sydow and Bibi Andersson, this era represents the apex of European art-house cinema.