[ Theatralia 22 / 2019 / 1 (132—136) ] https://doi.org/10.5817/TY2019-1-16 ’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Czech Republic

Ivona Solčániová

Project Bergman 100 emerged from the col- SCANDI introduced pictures such as Au- laboration between several different Czech tumn Sonata, , Fanny institutions having a common interest in and Alexander, and The Silence. the work of the principal Swedish direc- events ] [ events tor Ingmar Bergman – the Swedish Em- Even though Ingmar Bergman became bassy, the 44th Summer Film School Uherské synonymous with Swedish filmography, Hradiště, the Academy of Performing Arts, he was also a great theatre enthusiast. Scandinavian House, the Ingmar Bergman In multiple events, Scandinavian House Foundation, Kolowrat Palace, the Be2Can showcased Bergman as a theatre and art project and other organizations engaged director who had worked in several Swed- with Swedish culture. The project aimed ish theaters. Lectures with a discussion to organize different events dedicated to ‘Unknown Ingmar Bergman’ and the honoring the professional work and life of showing of a documentary film Trespass- Ingmar Bergman. It introduced Bergman ing Bergman took place in both Brno and as a theatre director, filmmaker, scriptwrit- Prague. er and a respected man who is still influ- The presentation of Bergman in Brno encing artist all over the world. started with talks between the theatrolo- gist David Drozd and the essayist Pavel The very first event took place at the be- Švanda. Drozd introduced different faces ginning of February with the SCANDI1 film of the Swedish director concentrating festival. There were five movies presented mainly on his close relations to theatre in a special ‘Bergman section’, picked by whereas Švanda focused on Bergman’s re- Be2Can2 dramaturges Aleš Stuchlý and ception in the Czech environment. The Vít Schmarc. For the opening, Persona lecture was followed by a short perform- was chosen as the most sensitive and radi- ance of Henrik Ibsen’s Nora performed cal of Bergman’s picture. The films were by Kateřina Jebavá and Ondřej Jiráček. screened in Prague cinema Světozor, Perso- The excerpt was a reconstruction of the na in 35 mm film copy. Except forPersona , final scene from Bergman’s theatre pro- duction, which he directed in 1989. The 1 Film festival SCANDI is organized by Film Eu- event took place on 25th May at the cen- rope Media Company which repeatedly brings les- sons on contemporary Scandinavian and Nordic tral market hall of Zelný trh. films to Czech and Slovak cinemas. One week later the second lecture ex- 2 Be2Can falls under the Film Europe Media plained Ingmar Bergman’s impact on the Company. They focus on presenting award-winning artistic world, namely in a documentary films from the Berlinale, Venice and Cannes festivals film Trespassing Bergman screened in the- to Czech cinemas.

132

text_theatralia_01_2019.indd 132 11.6.2019 10:45:38 Ivona Solčániová Ingmar Bergman’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Czech Republic

foyer of the Scala cinema.3. The opening time. Nordic filmography was the main lecture of the Nordist Karolína Stehlíková topic of last year’s summer film school6 introduced Bergman as an accomplished as well. person, having been active not only in the Fourteen feature films and three movie industry and theatres but also in the documentaries mapped Ingmar Berg- television and radio. man’s work for cinema, TV, and theatre. Theatralia ‘The Unknown Bergman’ was pre- The movies were selected by Mareet Ko- sented on 6th and 7th June in Prague as skinen, a pedagogue at the Department of a collaboration of Atlas cinema and DISK Cinema Studies in Stockholm. theatre. The screening of The Trespassing Koskinen was one of the most remark-

[ 22 / 2019 1 ] Bergman documentary was followed by able guests of the 44th Summer Film School a discussion with the Czech-Swedish di- in Uherské Hradiště. She introduced every events ] [ events rector and journalist Hynek Pallas whose film with a short talk about the presented professional career had started in the Ing- piece. As a keeper of the archives of the mar magazine. Pallas was also one of the director’s heritage, Koskinen covered all collaborators on Bergman’s Video4 docu- important motives in Bergman’s filmogra- mentary. During these two occasions, the phy and continued with her interpretation Department of Dramatic Theatre of the of the author’s work. Academy of Performing Arts in Prague staged Bergman’s screenplay Cries and Katinka Farago is usually described as Ing- Whispers directed by Norbert Závodský. mar Bergman’s ‘right hand’. She worked with Bergman as a screenplay attendant, The 100th birthday anniversary of Ingmar production manager, and producer for Bergman had been celebrated at the 44th more than thirty years. Together with Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště.5 Mareet Koskinen, she was one of the two The Scandinavian movies did not consti- major guests of the festival with the closest tute a part of this film festival for the first relation to Ingmar Bergman. Koskinen met with Farago for a ‘short’ 3 Jane Magnusson’s and Hynek Pallas’s documen- discussion after Bergman’s Persona screen- tary from 2013 captures private visits of world-re- ing, which happens to be Koskinen’s nowned film directors and actors in Bergman’s house on Fårö Island in the Baltic Sea. The documentary favourite movie. On the one hand, they reflects on Bergman’s rich career and looks upon the spoke about Bergman as a strict and prac- director’s private life. Names as Alejandro G. Iñár- ritu, Claire Denis, John Landis or Michael Haneke go 6 Except Bergman’s movies, the organizers chose through Bergman’s archives, explaining their passion Scandinavian movies as the main part of the festival. for Bergman’s work and the way Bergman inspired The festival included movies reflecting actual political their own professional lives. tensions in the Swedish society, silent films from 1911 4 Short Swedish TV series in which world-famous to 1922 and the (most popular) Scandinavian crime filmmakers such as Woody Allen, Lars von Trier or Ang movies. The hosts of 2017 festival were two Swedish Lee explain their relationship to Ingmar Bergman. directors, Jan Troell and Tarik Saleh. The organisers 5 The largest non-competitive film festival which also invited Jan Holmberg, the historian of the Swed- is organized annually in Uherské Hradiště, Czech Re- ish cinematography and Daniel Bergman, a son of public. The education program consists of many the- Ingmar Bergman with his pleasant memories on his matic sections, panel discussions, lectures and master own childhood. The 43rd film festival had prepared classes that are led by important film personalities, a ground for this year’s section called ‘Bergman: Ret- directors and other film professionals. rospective’.

133

text_theatralia_01_2019.indd 133 11.6.2019 10:45:38 Ivona Solčániová Ingmar Bergman’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Czech Republic

tical filmmaker with serious work attitude. man’s work. ‘In Bergman’s scripts is not On the other hand, they reminisced about a place for improvisation,’ says Farago. ‘But a loving person with a specific sense of that evening, when actors left, the camera- humor. The ladies mentioned their first man saw a big cloud (in Sweden everything meeting with Ingmar Bergman as follows: depends on weather). The set crew costumed Bergman contacted Koskinen shortly after themselves and started dancing.’9 she finished her Ph.D. studies dealing with Farago also presented Bergman’s great Bergman’s movies. self-taught knowledge of music. ‘During ‘Hello! Ingmar Bergman on the phone!’ filming the Magic Flute, the music was on (Koskinen did not believe it in that mo- the set every day. Bergman was very re- ment) ‘…no, it’s really me!’7 continued sponsible when choosing the film music.’10 Bergman. Except for the movies, the music collec- events ] [ events After the talk, which lasted for two tion presents the most numerous part of hours, they come to an agreement. At that the director’s heritage. time Bergman needed someone who can help him with his large archive materials. The 44th film festival program was accom- Maaret Koskinen became a keeper of Berg- panied by a collection of posters for Berg- man’s heritage and one of the co-founders man’s movies. The exhibition took place of The Ingmar Bergman Foundation in in the Museum of Moravian Slovakia in Stockholm. Uherské Hradiště and was open for the Farago’s beginnings were not so easy. public just for the summer season. Except ‘He was not exactly an easygoing man,’ for the posters by the Czechs and Slovaks, mentioned Farago. She started in a me- the works of designers from German and nial role of the script supervisor during Poland were also displayed. her teenage years. The first encounter with The Czechoslovak artist Milan Grygar Ingmar Bergman was in 1954: ‘… and I met used the motives of ticking hours for the him and I stared! And he stared! And it was Bergman’s Wild Strawberries movie poster. thoroughly half a minute! For me it was The surrealistic painter Josef Vyleťal inspired long time. And then he started to laugh by Salvador Dalí created the poster for The his famous laughter and said “It will be al- Silence. Action paintings by the Polish design- right!” and it was alright, for thirty years.’8 ers Jan Mlodozeniec and Andrej Pagowski Their first collaboration took place during were used as the posters for movies The

the work on the movie Dreams in 1954. Serpent’s Egg and . Hans Hill- [ 22 / 2019 1 ] One of the greatest moments from the in- mann’s posters showed a distinctive style terview were her memories of the making of and visualization of movie content in case of , for Farago the most remark- Wild Strawberries and Autumn Sonata.11

able and beautiful movie. She described the The final part of Bergman’s centenary was Theatralia final scene of the movie ‘the final dance with death’ as the greatest improvisation of Berg- 9 From the interview with Katinka Farago at the 44th Summer Film School Uherske Hradiště. 7 From the interview with Maaret Koskinen at the 10 From the interview with Katinka Farago at the 44th Summer Film School Uherské Hradiště. 44th Summer Film School Uherske Hradiště. 8 From the interview with Katinka Farago at the 11 Posters from this collection were used as illus- 44th Summer Film School Uherské Hradiště. trations in this journal.

134

text_theatralia_01_2019.indd 134 11.6.2019 10:45:38 Ivona Solčániová Ingmar Bergman’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Czech Republic

devoted to the theatre as an essential part evance of the phonetic qualities of Berg- of his life. The Bergman’s Theatre Festival man’s work. He compared the director Week12 from 15th to 19th October 2018 took to a poet with excellent writing skills. He place in the Kolowrat Palace in Prague and then turned to issues of Bergman’s trans- was open to the wide public. Most of the lation into foreign languages and focused presented talks dealt with multiple topics on how this transformation often loses Theatralia connected to Bergman: his figure as a film the true meaning of Bergman’s original and theatre director, author and essayist. texts.14 A large part focused on Bergman’s scripts The theatrologist and representative of and translations. the Scandinavian House, Karolína Steh-

[ 22 / 2019 1 ] líková, perceived Bergman primarily as The topic which opened the theatre festi- a theatre person and explained his thea- events ] [ events val was Ingmar Bergman’s contribution tre experience. She demonstrated Berg- to literature. Zbyněk Černík presented man’s directing style on two recordings his professional relationship to Bergman from the productions directed by Ingmar as a translator and focused on differenc- Bergman: Nora by Henrik Ibsen and Shake- es between Bergman’s autobiographical speare’s King Lear. and fictional texts and their specific lan- guage. He also introduced the obstacles The Department of Dramatic Arts at The to interpretations of Bergman’s texts in Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in foreign languages. Moreover, he recalled cooperation with Kolowrat Theatre intro- his unsuccessful encounter with Ingmar duced two performances based on Ingmar Bergman on Fårö. The biggest part of Bergman’s film scripts. The first premiere Černík’s career is dedicated to transla- of the festival took place on Monday 15th tions of Bergman’s scripts into the Czech October; it was Summer with Monica direct- language. The presentation ended with ed by Aminata Keita. The second produc- the launch of Černík’s translations of four tion of Bergman’s script was From the Life Bergman’s stories published under the ti- of the Marionettes and had been directed by tle Hodina Vlků (). Štěpán Pácl. As an honored guest, the festival wel- The ten-hour long non-stop reading comed Jan Holmberg, the director of the introduced theatre plays, stories, and Ingmar Bergman Foundation13 in Stock- memories written by Ingmar Bergman. holm. Jan Holmberg pointed out the rel- The reading was covered by ČRo Vltava radio-station with a live broadcast of Berg-

12 Theatre festival taking place in Prague with top- man’s directed by Štěpán Pácl. ics examining Bergman’s professional and private The festival finished with the previously life. Kolowrat-Krakovský, the oldest of Bohemian mentioned screening of Jane Magnus- noble families, was one of the supporters of The Berg- son’s and Hynek Pallas’s documentary man’s Theatre Festival. They rented areas of Kolowrat Palace for lectures and a loft-theatre for two drama Trespassing Bergman. performances. 13 The foundation administers archive property of Ingmar Bergman and manages copyrights to all Bergman’s works. Source: http://www.ingmarberg- 14 The whole lecture of Jan Holmberg is included man.se/en/ingmar-bergman-foundation. in this journal.

135

text_theatralia_01_2019.indd 135 11.6.2019 10:45:38 Ivona Solčániová Ingmar Bergman’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in the Czech Republic

Several smaller events accompanied several screenings of the core of Berg- Project Bergman 100. Prague Aero cinema man’s work. The Vltava Radio introduced was the first to introduce posters of Berg- Bergman’s professional and personal work man’s movies at the beginning of 2018.15 with the collection of short stories for two Regarding Bergman as a film director, actors, while the ČT Art television present- the gardens of the Embassy of Sweden in ed a dance documentary entitled Ingmar Prague became an improvised cinema for Bergman through the Choreographer’s Eye di- three summer evenings. The screening of rected by Fredrik Stattin. Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Nights was The Bergman 100 project resumed with a personal choice of the Swedish ambas- the festival Das Filmfest 2018 at the end of sador in Prague Viktoria Li. The embassy October with the screening of Margarethe also hosted open-air screenings of The Sum- von Trotta documentary Searching for Ing- events ] [ events mer with Monica, Wild Strawberries and The mar Bergman. Virgin Spring. Bergman is still one of the most influ- Ingmar Bergman, the filmmaker, won ential and accomplished filmmakers in several awards, including the Palme d’Or the world which has been proved by many prizes at the Cannes Film Festival. Nine of events in the Czech Republic. Bergman’s his films were nominated for the Academy 100th birthday anniversary brought togeth- Award for the best foreign film. To honor er historians, performers, coworkers and these movies, Be2Can in collaboration with other experts in the Scandinavian culture, Prague cinemas, introduced a selection of who exchanged their knowledge and at- Bergman’s nominated pieces. Their rep- titude to this filmmaker. Another signifi- ertoire contained, for example, Fanny and cant benefit of this networking action was Alexander, , Wild Straw- bringing Bergman’s assets and message to berries, Brink of Life and Through a Glass the youth, students and the broader public Darkly. so the cultural heritage of Ingmar Berg- Both Czech Radio and Czech Tele­ man can stay topical. vi­sion joined the celebrations with [ 22 / 2019 1 ] Theatralia Theatralia

15 The posters were also presented during the 44th Summer Film School Uherské Hradiště and a selection is included in the appendix of this issue.

136

text_theatralia_01_2019.indd 136 11.6.2019 10:45:38