Summer with Monika

Directed by: Ingmar Bergman

Sweden | 96 minutes | Rated R

"The erotic portrayal of young love in Ingmar Bergman's film remains powerful to this day. It is a courageous film, fighting for Harry and Monika, who rebel against their drab lives in Stockholm for one passionate summer together on the Swedish archipelago. It is also a key film in Bergman's career, solidifying his move toward an increased focus on women's perspectives. Although modestly made and received originally, the film steadily acquired a reputation. Rediscovered amid the mania generated by Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) and The Seventh Seal (1957), and fueled by praise from Jean-Luc Godard, it was hailed as an early example of Bergman's artistic vision. - Laura Hubner, Criterion