The Circuit

Bergman Week is an intimate festival of his films held annually on the Swedish island of Faro, where he built a home and shot much of his work starting with “Through the Glass Darkly.”  Last year, Bergman and family attended the opening ceremony and participated in a few events.  He always took great pleasure in meeting the many other filmmakers that flocked to this mecca every year (pictured: Ang Lee meeting Bergman at the 2006 fest).  

This year, Film Comment's Laura Kern said the master filmmaker's absence was felt:  

"Bergman's failing health was a regular topic of conversation during the week. People who knew him well kept saying with finality that he wouldn't be participating this year, but then would cap it off with, '...but with him you never know for sure.' So guests were in constant anticipation of Bergman showing up. But he never did. It was disappointing in a sense, but being there on the island he called home was so special in itself that dwelling on it wasn't even an option. Now, in retrospect, it's very sad, because we faraway visitors/Bergman aficionados missed the only opportunity we'd ever have to meet him."  (Mike Jones)