Bergman Island—here is the real review

For readers of this blog, both of you, you know I like metafiction. Well, there is a film within this film, just as there is an island within an island. The film references Bergman’s films, which become a sort of jumping off point for the film, where about half way through the main characters, both script writers and directors, begin to tell another story.

Confused yet? Just hang in there.

Because I’m about to tell you what I think the movie is about—or the theory it provoked.

I’m a writer who was once married to a writer. Just like in the movie, we were both at different stages of our career. BUT, and this is an important BUT . . . women who choose to have children have chosen to put their art aside at least for a bit. The adage that we can have it all, well, that person was in lala-land. It is possible to be a mother and create, but what I’m talking about is the person who desires to devote themselves full-time to art and at the same time mother.

Yes, there are nannies and grandmas and house dads. But in the film, it is Bergman who despite having nine children, somewhat abandoned them, at least emotionally, in order to pursue his art. He didn’t have to raise them, that’s what he had wives and mistresses for. He was free to do as he pleased.

Whereas for some mothers, not all, it is hard to prioritize art before children. Therefore, when raising a family it is usually the mother who must put her art on hold, pause her career. This is, I feel, the internal conflict with both the women in the film. They want to fulfill their life with relationships, with their respective art—and also be able to look after their children, They, the women, can no more leave one behind as the other, all bring joy, all are demanding 

By the end of the film, I intuit that both women have decided to throw off at least one constraint in order to pursue art—whether it is the child or a relationship—you decide.

Watch Bergman Island; it isn’t dark or depressing, but visually stimulating. It made me long for long summer days, a swim in the sea, eroded stone sculptures, and little village churches. Complicated male relationships—not so much.