MUMBAI: Palador Pictures, in association with the Embassy of Sweden, has unveiled Ingmar Bergman Collector’s Edition 5 DVD Box Set and a film festival, Remembering Bergman- A Retrospective.

This initiative marks a tribute to Ingmar Bergman, on his first death anniversary.

The films which are available to audiences on the DVD Box Set are: Music in Darkness, Summer With Monika, Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light and The Silence, with Intermezzo – a freewheeling interview with Ingmar Bergman – as a special feature. The festival will showcase, in addition to some of the films on the DVD box, Wild Strawberries, Summer Interludeand Devil’s Eye.

A six-city screening tour, from 8 August to 18 September, will kick off in Delhi. The movies will also be screened in Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Elaborating on the rationale behind the Bergman Retrospective, Palador Pictures founder and MD Gautam Sikhnis said, “Ingmar Bergman’s films have moved, inspired and influenced a host of filmmakers and audiences across the world. It is no wonder that he is often called the greatest cinematic artist ever. It is only just that the nation that makes the largest quantity of films in the world each year, should also get the best quality films from across the world. On the first death anniversary of Bergman, this festival and box set is this nation’s tribute to the great master.”

Another high point of the Retrospective is the presence of Gunnar Bergdahl, director of two documentaries made on Bergman – Intermezzo: Ingmar Bergman and The Voices of Bergman as well as a close friend of the filmmaker. Intermezzo will be screened for students of film and general public at workshops conducted by Bergdahl in Delhi and Mumbai.

Palador Pictures joint MD Mohan Polamar said, “Bergman stormed into the World Cinema scene with two masterpieces in the same year, 1957. Such was the genius of this prolific director without whose name no discussion of cinema would ever be complete. It hurt us to know that masterpieces made by him and other great directors had never been available in this country to the masses. With this festival, I personally feel a sense of satisfaction about the number of people it is reaching out to across the country. When quality cinema as embodied by Bergman is widely seen and appreciated, quality cinema would end up being made as well.”

Supporting this endeavour of making world cinema accessible to the Indian audiences, are partners ICICI, iMint, Indiaplaza, Inox, People Magazine, Myntra and Bright Advertising in India, and The Swedish Institute and the Swedish Film Institute in Sweden.