Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries)

Ingmar Bergman 1957
Typing about this movie is explosive for me. After watching this movie I was a mess. Litres of tears pouring down my face, I had no idea where I was, my walking was automatic and breathing was painful. The David Strong building and the Uvic campus was an unimportant maze to me after Wild Strawberries.

Now with this being said it was a beautiful experience that I would happily live over and over again.

Mr. Bergman gets associated with deep dark sentiments and heavy feelings such as morose, regret or emptiness. Bergman to me is like a grandfather that came out of a war and doesn't have the patience to tell you b.s fairy tales anymore. He is not devoid of humanitiy but is not idealic about it either. Nostalgia is painful not romantic. It reminds you of who you were before the irvisible desicions were made. Aging is not territfying. In fact Wildstrawberries reaminds me again of Fellini and Tarkosvky that hardening is death.

Ingmar Bergamn uses flash backs not to remind Dr.Isak Borg of moments in his past but instead to show him the moments he did not know of. He is never in his own flashbacks so how can he remember a memory which was not his ? The flashback scenes are prophetic. The flashbacks are the in between information that would have changed everything. Those nuggets of knowledge that make moments clear, that change your actions. These moments show the true intentions as to why things turned out the way they did. No one was ever intentionally malicious they were hurt acting out of pain and self preservation.

The hitchhikers he picks up are the human embodiments of this life's triangle. The young blond girl who is a mirror imagine of Sara his young love. The young love he wanted but buried so deep inside and put society's expectations in the forefront. She is funny,light, jovial and utterly carefree. Her two suitors are the two sides of himself he has been at war with. Victor is science, reason and logic. He is austere. Anders is spiritual, artsy and hopeful. He carries a guitar and recites poetry. The three dance their love triangle in front of Isak for the last time. Both sides fighting for Sara's affection. Sara yells to Isak's balcony
"Can't you see you are the one I love ? Today, Tomorrow and Forever"

Ingmar Bergman gives me this need to jump willfully into every risky emotional situation. To strip the protective wall of security and to dive in head first with the permission to experience every feeling without regret or shame.
Bergman movies make me want to truly live.