AMPAS Hosts a Salute to Bergman and the Opening of Beyond Blond

Mardi from the Beyond Blond team says;
Friday night, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted the opening of our Bergman Weekend "An Academy Salute to Ingmar Bergman" and Beyond Blond 2008 at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. The Academy’s lavish cocktail buffet reception included bowls of green apples, symbolizing this year’s Beyond Blond and, as a special tribute to Ingmar Bergman, crushed gingersnaps and sour cream, his favorite on-the-set snack. AMPAS Executive Director Bruce Davis opened the evening with an enthusiastic welcome. It was great to see Michael and Pat York, James Karen, Alba Francesca, and other local notables there. Our delegation from Sweden included Lars Hedenstedt, project manager for films and the Bergman Program at the Swedish Institute, Annmarie Kastrup and Anders Rabenius, project leader and architect, respectively, of the biographical exhibition of “Ingmar Bergman: The Man Who Asked Hard Questions” that was displayed for the first time over the weekend at the theatre. People commented on the innovative circular design surrounding a tree-shaped structure to which several screens displayed personal interviews and clips from several of Bergman’s classic films. You had to stand right in front of each screen to hear - state-of-the-art technology I learned called "sound shower." This installation will be shown next in San Francisco, before traveling to the east coast and beyond. Swedish TV producer and documentarian, Marie Nyreröd was also there, and she introduced a clip of her new documentary “Bergman Island,” which preceded the featured Bergman screening for the evening, Fanny & Alexander. Swedish actor Börje Ahlstedt, who played “Uncle Carl” in the film, had everyone laughing out loud in the packed theatre with his entertaining remarks and spontaneous greetings and interaction with members of the audience. The theatre was virtually full all three nights. I attended Saturday and Sunday night screenings (Virgin Spring, Through a Glass Darkly, Cries and Whispers and Autumn Sonata) as well and it was thrilling to see the overwhelming response to this program. We're excited to be collaborating again with the Academy in 2010 for a major tribute to Bergman in Los Angeles.