LARS Von Trier About Ingmar Bergman
“His Films Are The Monument”

I am an admirer of Bergman, I also wrote him a lot of fan emails. But I never got any answer. I’ve always felt strong family ties with him. Therefore I’m proud to be able to say that he treated me in the same way as he treated his children: totally without interest!

People now are rushing to the video stores to find some of Bergman’s films. But the availability of his films is very limited. Many people have called Bergman a genius. But there is only one way to celebrate the genius, and that is to make his films available. He might be considered as being a ‘national monument’ in Sweden, but his films are the monument. It’s a scandal that they are not there for everyone to see!

There are many who have talked about Bergman’s death as a great tragedy. I consider it more of a miracle that he has had the gift to live for 89 years, and has had a rich, prosperous life that he managed to fill with a unique creativity and creation, which he could bring to a close, a couple of years ago, with one of his most beautiful films, Saraband. We shouldn’t play funeral music now, we should instead sound a flourish to him!

Interview by Stig Bjorkman, July 31, 2007

Cahiers Du Cinema, Special Issue 2007