Cries and Whispers

The 50th Anniversary of the classic Ingmar Bergman film is being given a new 4K restoration piece in honour of the season of work to mark Liv Ullmann's Honorary Oscar award last weekend. Cries and Whispers was one of ten collaborations between the actress and director.

Released in 1972, the film depicts the relationship between three sisters - Agnes (Harriet Andersson)  is slowly dying, and the other two Maria (Ullmann) and Karin (Ingrid Thulin) whom have to deal with her impending death while dealing with their own problems such as infidelity. While the two sisters cope with their own trauma, they seemingly cannot handle the impending grief, leaving life-long maid Anna (Kari Sylwan) is seemingly the only individual capable of giving the chronically depressed Agnes, the comfort she requires.

While repression and troubling memories resurface for all involved, Bergman paints the picture of grief and bubbling resentment with his heavy use of red in the mise-en-scene and explosion of colour on the screen to startling effect, in this haunting examination of the soul.

A showcase for three Scandinavian actresses and the master director at the height of his powers, the film is a great gateway for new cineastes of Bergman's work and a reminder to familiar fans of the power of his craft, and how he frequently could draw from the power of theatre into his best filmic work, this chamber piece is beautifully captured by Sven Nykvist.

Cries and Whispers will have a UK wide release on screens from 1st April via BFI Distribution, follow the link to find a screening near you.

Liv Ullmann Season at the BFI in April 2022

The BFI Southbank season ‘LIV ULLMANN: FACE TO FACE’, will showcase her acting work, not only with Ingmar Bergman, but also with fellow Norwegian pioneer Edith Carlmar and with Jan Troell. As a director, her films showing in the season include FAITHLESS (2000) (also released on Blu-ray by the BFI on 11 April) and MISS JULIE (2014). A special event, Liv Ullmann In Conversation, takes place at BFI Southbank on 8 April. Selected films will be on BFI Player for one month from 11 April. In addition to in person appearances from Ullmann, the season will also feature introductions and Q&As with film programmers, journalists and curators including season programmer Sarah Lutton, BFI Festivals Director Tricia Tuttle, T A P E Collective’s Nellie Alston and film journalist Christina Newland.