Director: Ingmar Bergman
Duration: 137'
Language: Swedish
Subtitles: Chinese and English
Categories: Group B (Not suitable for audiences under 13 years of age)
Adapted from Mozart's famous opera The Magic Flute, this film tells the story of a young flute player who can tame beasts and a prince setting out on a journey to rescue a kidnapped princess, the daughter of the Queen of the Night. On their way they face all kinds of people and events that test their moral values and conscience.
Though filmed in a real theater, Ingmar Bergman’s cinematic version of the Mozart work still uses a lot of close-ups and camera movements, switching between on and off stage. Respecting the original while injecting new forms, the film has become the adaptation par excellence of The Magic Flute.
Bergman earned nine Oscar nominations, was the first European Film Award winner for Lifetime Achievement and also the first person to be honored with the Cannes’ Palm of Palms special award. Saluted by Woody Allen as "the greatest film artist since the invention of motion picture camera", Bergman explores faith, death, sex and love, psychology, as well as the real and the unreal with his unique filmic language and near-perfect cinematographic style. He passed away in 2007, but his directorial works continue to profoundly influence generations of filmmakers.
Guest Speaker: Joyce Yang
Joyce YANG, a film critic, member of Hong Kong Film Critics Society. She has served as a jury member for FIPRESCI Prizes of HKIFF, CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival and IFVA awards. She has co-edited a book on the selection of Chiu Kang-Chien’s award-winning film scripts.
