Ingmar Bergman’s 1953 film, Summer with Monika, tells the tale of two working-class young people who fall in love and leave their families in order to create one of their own. Harry (Lars Ekborg) is a young man living in Stockholm when he meets the spirited Monika (Harriet Andersson, her first role with Bergman). Despite their differences in personality, their romance takes off, leading to them jetting off in a boat owned by Harry’s father to spend a summer away. When they return, their romance takes a sudden turn—Monika is pregnant.
Thrust into adult life, the story of Harry and Monika, as told by Bergman, served as an intimate look at the hardships of young people in Stockholm’s working class, the pressures of gender roles, and the cost of young love. Based on the novel by Per Anders Fogelström, Summer with Monika was a unique release for its time, and is often credited as a pioneer in cinema history.
Director Biography
A true master of cinema and this year’s MSPIFF Spotlight honoree, Swedish filmmaker Earnest Ingmar Bergman’s life and legacy has been a lasting influence on the film industry. From The Seventh Seal (’57) to Persona (’66) to Fanny and Alexander (’82), Bergman’s body of work is both extensive and a cinematic marvel, his artistry and craft having inspired generations of creatives including filmmakers, actors, cinematographers and more.
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