Fårö Document 1979

Made after his self-exile in Germany, Bergman’s follow-up documentary about his beloved Fårö offers a more optimistic portrayal of the islanders. Juxtaposing then-and-now interviews to portray subjects ten years on, Bergman tracks what’s become of the younger generation—who has remained to build a life on the island and who has decamped for the mainland. Shot by Arne Carlsson, a native of Fårö and Bergman’s still photographer for many years, and structured over the course of a year from spring to winter, the film depicts striking landscapes and the unfolding of community rituals and age-old traditions such as thatching roofs and slaughtering livestock.