Guided tour at Liv & Ingmar exhibition

Liv Ullmann (1938) is the most famous actress in the history of Norwegian cinema. The Swedish director Ingmar Bergman (1918 – 2007), is one of the most eminent personalities in the history of world cinematography. Liv’s career includes more than 40 feature films, two Academy Award nominations, major accolades earned on the European theatre scene, in the United States and Australia. Ingmar’s cinema earned the praise both of the critics and the audience, as testified also by the many awards he received: the Golden Lion, the Oscar and the Golden Globe, to name a few. Liv and Ingmar worked Together on many film projects.

Hour of the wolf (1968), Autumn Sonata (1978), Shame (1968), Cries and whispers (1972), Scenes from a marriage (1973) represent the culmination of their long partnership. Ingmar used to call Liv his “Stradivarius”. She was, in other words, the instrument that allowed him to find the perfect tone to reflect his moods on the silver screen.

But it was not only on the set that their paths crossed; they were involved in a long and passionate love affair. From their relationship, in 1966, Linn was born, who would become a famous writer in Italy and abroad. Ingmar said that they were painfully bound, in their partnership and love relationship, while Liv described their bond with these words: “I believe we have done what is granted only to a few. Together we had the opportunity to create, together we let a child into the world, together we shared love and an incredible friendship. A friendship that would last forever”.

Liv and Ingmar were work partners, lovers and friends. A very intense relationship, almost painful; the tension between them is palpable in the films they made together. In Ullmann/Bergman’s case, the artist cannot be separated from their work, which will remain an everlasting testament to their mutual passion.

33 photos portray Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman, and their artistic relationship from the 50s onwards.

Commissioned by the Consulate of Norway and Sweden in St. Petersburg (2012), the exhibition was developed by the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) with the support of the Oslo National Library and the Swedish Film Institute.