No. 100 (2021) BERGMAN ISLAND Dec. 11th.

 

Film No. 100 (2021)  December 11th.  11.00 AM   Cinema 1.  LUNA,  Leederville. 

"It's about how invisible things circulate within a couple."(Tony answers Chris's question as to what he's been writing).

Bergman Island is a self indulgent romp by thoughtful French film-maker Mia Hansen-Love. I use the term self indulgent in no way negatively. Hansen-Love has very cleverly melded her real life experience of a creative writing residency (we assume on this island) with imaginative flourishes, then told that story via a film within a film. I think I've got that right!!

What does all that mean? Well, because I knew nothing (no trailers, no reviews) of B.I. before my screening the uniqueness of this film (including the exquisite twist), amplified my enjoyment. So, if you have not seen Bergman Island, and you have plans to, then I suggest you read no further .........

........ Bergman Island exists. It is in fact Faro Island in Sweden. It is where legendary Swedish director Ingmar Bergman made many of his films, and it is where he is buried. Chris (Vicky Krieps) and Tony (Tim Roth) are married and host us as we watch them as they unleash their creative energies (film scripting). We are soon led gently by Hansen-Love into the hands of Chris. She has writer's block to begin with. Then she hasn't, (a bit of a flaw) but as she unravels her thoughts (to Tony), verbalising her story, the screen introduces Amy (Mia Wasikowska) and Joseph (Anders Danielsen) which leads us into the film within a film; a figment of Chris's imagination.

I was in the mood to be swept along in a film that took the mind to new places. Realism controlled the characters, situations and events. It was after all an autobiographical snippet of Hansen-Love's life. And then there is the twist. Subtle and pleasant. Finally, hats off to Walikowska whose performance as Amy (a performance that gave B.I. an extra dimension) must have pleased Hansen-Love no end. 10GUMS.