Face to Face (1976 film)
Encyclopedia
Face to Face is a 1976 Swedish film
written and directed by Ingmar Bergman
. It tells the story of a psychiatrist
who is suffering from a mental illness
. It stars Liv Ullmann
and Erland Josephson
. The film was screened at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival
, but was not entered into the main competition. It is the final 'classic' Bergman picture, as after its release the director would leave Sweden for a few years.
) is a psychiatrist married to another psychiatrist; both are successful in their jobs but slowly, agonizingly, Jenny succumbs to a breakdown. She is haunted by images and emotions from her past and eventually cannot function, either as a wife, a doctor or as an individual.
for Best Actress
(Ullmann) and Best Director
(Bergman).
Ullmann was nominated by BAFTA in the Best Actress
category.
She was also named Best Actress by the New York Film Critics Circle Awards
, the National Board of Review
and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association
, with the film winning Best Foreign Language Film
at the latter.
It also was named by the Golden Globes
as their Best Foreign Language Film
of the year, with Ullmann also being nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.
film Annie Hall
, Allen's character refuses to see Face to Face after arriving a few minutes late for a showing.
Cinema of Sweden
Swedish cinema is known as producing many critically acclaimed movies, and during the 20th century was the most prominent of Scandinavia. This is largely due to the popularity and prominence of the directors Ingmar Bergman, Victor Sjöström, and more recently Lasse Hallström and Lukas...
written and directed by Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
. It tells the story of a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
who is suffering from a mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. It stars Liv Ullmann
Liv Ullmann
Liv Johanne Ullmann is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the "muses" of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman...
and Erland Josephson
Erland Josephson
Erland Josephson is a Swedish actor and author. He is best known to international audiences for his work in films directed by Ingmar Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Theodoros Angelopoulos.-Biography:...
. The film was screened at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival
1976 Cannes Film Festival
The 29th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 13-28, 1976. A new section, 'L'Air du temps', which is non-competitive and focuses on contemporary subjects, is introduced at this festival and discontinued after the next.- Jury :...
, but was not entered into the main competition. It is the final 'classic' Bergman picture, as after its release the director would leave Sweden for a few years.
Plot
Dr. Jenny Isaksson (Liv UllmannLiv Ullmann
Liv Johanne Ullmann is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the "muses" of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman...
) is a psychiatrist married to another psychiatrist; both are successful in their jobs but slowly, agonizingly, Jenny succumbs to a breakdown. She is haunted by images and emotions from her past and eventually cannot function, either as a wife, a doctor or as an individual.
Principal cast (in credits order)
- Liv UllmannLiv UllmannLiv Johanne Ullmann is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the "muses" of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman...
– Dr. Jenny Isaksson - Erland JosephsonErland JosephsonErland Josephson is a Swedish actor and author. He is best known to international audiences for his work in films directed by Ingmar Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Theodoros Angelopoulos.-Biography:...
– Dr. Tomas Jacobi - Aino TaubeAino TaubeAino Taube was a Swedish film and theatre actress. She appeared in 50 films between 1931 and 1988.-Selected filmography:* They Staked Their Lives * Secrets of Women...
– The Grandmother - Gunnar BjörnstrandGunnar BjörnstrandGunnar Björnstrand was a Swedish actor known for his frequent work with writer/director Ingmar Bergman. He was born in Stockholm. He appeared in over 180 films....
– The Grandfather - Kristina AdolphsonKristina AdolphsonKristina Adolphson is a Swedish film actress. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden.-Selected filmography:* Brink of Life * The Devil's Eye * The Pleasure Garden * Face to Face...
– Nurse Veronica - Marianne AminoffMarianne AminoffMarianne Aminoff was a Swedish film actress. She was born in Uddevalla, Sweden and died in Stockholm.-Selected filmography:* Face to Face * Autumn Sonata * Fanny and Alexander...
– Jenny's mother - Gösta EkmanGösta EkmanHans Gösta Gustaf Ekman is a Swedish actor.-Biography:One of Sweden's most appreciated, respected and popular actors; Gösta Ekman started his career in theatre but has also appeared in several Swedish films, including the Jönssonligan series...
– Mikael Strömberg - Helene Friberg – Anna, Jenny's daughter
- Ulf Johansson – Helmuth Wankel
- Sven LindbergSven LindbergSven Lindberg was a Swedish film actor and director. He was born and died in Stockholm, Sweden.-Selected filmography:*Music in Darkness *Dreams *Musik ombord *Face to Face...
– Jenny's husband - Jan-Erik Lindqvist (credited as Jan-Erik Lindqvist)
- Birger MalmstenBirger MalmstenBirger Malmsten was a Swedish actor. He had many roles in Ingmar Bergman's movies.-Selected filmography:*It Rains on Our Love *A Ship to India *Music in Darkness *Eva...
– Rapist - Sif RuudSif RuudSif Ruud, born Sif Einarsdotter Ruud Fallde was a Swedish film actress. She appeared in 140 films.-Selected filmography:* It Rains on Our Love * Port of Call * Thirst...
– Elisabeth Wankel - Göran StangertzGöran StangertzGöran Nils Robert Stangertz is a Swedish actor and director and presently director at Helsingborgsteatern. He has won Sweden's most prestigious film award Guldbaggen twice in the category best male leading role for his roles in Det sista äventyret and Spring för livet .-External links:...
– Rapist
Rest of cast (in alphabetical order)
- Lena OlinLena OlinLena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
– Shop assistant - Rebecca Pawlo – Shop assistant
- Gösta PrüzeliusGösta PrüzeliusGösta Prüzelius was a Swedish actor. His first film part was in the 1945 film Flickorna i Småland. He played in films as diverse as Summer with Monika, Space Invasion of Lapland, Fanny and Alexander, and Ingmar Bergman's film version of The Magic Flute...
– Jenny's father - Tore SegelckeTore SegelckeTore Dyveke Segelcke was a Norwegian actress.She was the sister of Georg Løkkeberg; and married from 1927-42 to her colleague Lasse Segelcke, and from 1945-1959 to Dr Anton Raabe.She made her debut in 1921 touring with Det Norske Teatret where she was based until 1924...
– The woman - Kari SylwanKari SylwanKari Sylwan is a Swedish actress, dancer, ballet teacher, and choreographer. Sylwan started as a dancer in 1956 at the Royal Swedish Ballet and at the Cullberg Ballet. At both companies she danced leading parts, for example the title role in Cullberg's The Lady from the Sea, based on Ibsen's play,...
– Mari
Awards
It was nominated for Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
(Ullmann) and Best Director
Academy Award for Directing
The Academy Award for Achievement in Directing , usually known as the Best Director Oscar, is one of the Awards of Merit presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to directors working in the motion picture industry...
(Bergman).
Ullmann was nominated by BAFTA in the Best Actress
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognise an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.- Winners and nominees :...
category.
She was also named Best Actress by the New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics' Circle Awards are given annually to honor excellence in cinema worldwide by an organization of film reviewers from New York City-based publications. It is considered one of the most important precursors to the Academy Awards....
, the National Board of Review
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr.'s revocation of moving-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908. The mayor believed that the new medium...
and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association was founded in 1975. Its main purpose is to present yearly awards to members of the film industry who have excelled in their fields. These awards are presented each January...
, with the film winning Best Foreign Language Film
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film is a film award given by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.-1970s:- 1980s :- 1990s :- 2000s :- 2010s :...
at the latter.
It also was named by the Golden Globes
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
as their Best Foreign Language Film
Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the awards presented at the Golden Globes, an American film awards ceremony.Until 1986, it was known as the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film, meaning that any non-American film could be honoured...
of the year, with Ullmann also being nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.
Pop culture references
At the beginning of the Woody AllenWoody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
film Annie Hall
Annie Hall
Annie Hall is a 1977 American romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay co-written with Marshall Brickman and co-starring Diane Keaton. One of Allen's most popular and most honored films, it won four Academy Awards including Best Picture...
, Allen's character refuses to see Face to Face after arriving a few minutes late for a showing.