Ingmar Bergman Passes on at 89

Swede film icon Ingmar Bergman passed away Monday in his home on Faro Island in the Baltic Sea at the age of 89. 

His career spanned 54 films, many of them classics.  I was very impressed with the first Bergman film I saw, WILD STRAWBERRIES, brought to Singapore where I lived, courtesy of the Swedish Council.  My favourite FANNY AND ALEXANDER remains as one of my best 10 films of all time.  The children in the title, who are mentally and physically abused by their bishop, eventually exact a revenge due to the evil religious bishop.

Bergman was born in the city of Upsala, near Stockholm.  I visited Upsala when I was in Sweden 15 years ago, remembering it to be a religious, though colourful city.

The world will surely miss one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived.