From the Jewry of Sofie (Sophie) and the Catholicism of Kristin Lavrandatter (The Garment), Norwegian actress-director Liv Ullmann has turned to the Lutheran Church in her third feature, Enskilda samtal (Private Confessions), unspooling today (10 May) in Un Certain Regard,
She was in the final editing of Kristin Lavransdatter, when her former husband, Ingmar Bergman, called her to ask whether she would direct a feature and television series from a screenplay he had just finished - and very different from the mega-production of Sigrid Undset's classic. 'A story with an epic narrative is always easier, because it tells itself to a large extent,' she observed. 'In this case the camera is static, and the actor responsible for the rhythm.'
Bergman's autobiographical script follows Anna Bergman (Pernilla August), who, at 36 with three children, realises that she has made a mistake. She has defied her mother by marrying a poor theology student, Henrik (Samuel Fröler), now a vicar. And she has started a relationship with Tomas (Thomas Hanzon), a younger man, who makes her feel passionately alive for the first time in years.
After a chance meeting with her confirmation priest and old friend Jacob (Max von Sydow), the soul-searching begins. There follow face-to-face confessions, both to him, his wife and the people close to her, Henrik and Tomas. 'Infidelity will never be a common experience, at least not when you try to rationalise and find out whom to blame - yourself, your husband, a third person or just the irrepairable loneliness of life.'
Ullmann has herself performed in several Bergman films, including Persona, Skammen (The Shame), Viskningar och rop (Cries and Whispers) and Höstsonat (Autumn Sonata). 'Also based on conversations,Scener ur ett äktenskap (Scenes from a Marriage) touches the same theme as Enskilda samtal - our conflict with truth and lies - but I never felt it as strongly as here,' explained Ullmann, who has cut the 3hr 30mins television series by 80 minutes.
'I have added a religious aspect to the story which is not in the script. Bergman emphasised that what the priest says in the film is solely on his own account, but I have made his words mine. However, not for a final conclusion - life doesn't have one,' she concluded. Jørn Rossing Jensen
Prod co: Swedish Television Drama, with Norway's NRK, Denmark's DR-TV, Finland's YLE-2, Iceland's RUV-TV, the Nordic TV Co-Production Fund, and supported by the Swedish Film Institute
Prod: Ingrid Dahlberg
Dir: Liv Ullmann
Scr: Ingmar Bergman
Prod des: Mette Möller
Cost des: Inger Pehrsson
Ed: Michal Leszczylowski
Ph: Sven Nykvist
Cast: Pernilla August, Samuel Fröler, Max von Sydow, Thomas Hanzon
Running time: 131mins
Int sales: The Sales Co.
Rossing Jensen
