The Virgin Spring (1961), Through a Glass Darkly (1961) and Fanny and Alexander (1984) won Oscars for best foreign film.

In 1971, he received The Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award at the Academy Awards ceremony.

He directed three films abroad, one of them, The Autumn Sonata (1978), bringing together Liv Ullmann and the late Ingrid Bergman.

His first original screenplay was filmed by Alf Sjoeberg, the dominant Swedish film director of the time. Torment won several awards including the Grand Prize of the 1946 Cannes Film Festival

In a 2004 interview, the legendary filmmaker said that among his works, he held Winter Light (1962), Persona (1966) and Cries and Whispers (1973) in high regard.

BERGMAN, THE PERSON

Offstage, Bergman’s private life was often thrust into the limelight. He was married five times to beautiful and gifted women and was known for liaisons with his leading actresses.

25 March, 1943-1945 to Else Fisher (divorced)

22 July, 1945-1950 to Ellen Lundström (divorced)

1951-1959 to Gun Grut (divorced)

1959-1969 to Käbi Laretei (divorced)

11 November, 1971-20 May, 1995 to Ingrid von Rosen (widowered).