The pictures in the exhibition, many of which have never been shown before, are taken by seven photographers who have followed Bergman in his work as a theater and film director. Highlighted are those productions of the works of Nobel Laureates that Bergman directed. The visitor is also able to see unique behind the scenes material from several of Bergman’s movies. 

For the international audience Ingmar Bergman is probably most well known as a film maker. However, he began his career at the theater and it was ever a large part of his endeavours. Once, he described theater as his “faithful wife” and film as the “expensive mistress”. A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to Bergman’s production of the plays of five Nobel Laureates: Pär Lagerkvist’s The Man Who Lived his Life Over, Albert Camus’ Caligula, Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author, Harry Martinson’s Three Knives from Wei, and Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night. 

The photos in the exhibition give a fascinating perspective in the creative process of Ingmar Bergman, not the least in the interaction with his actors. The photographers that have contributed to the exhibition are K.G. Kristoffersson, Lennart Nilsson, Beata Bergström, Bo-Erik Gyberg, Per Adolphson, Arne Carlsson and Bengt Wanselius.

In a number of sequences from Bergman’s own films from behind the scenes glimpses of his work as a director can be seen. One, by Bengt Wanselius, deals with Bergman’s television production of P.O. Engquist’s The Image Makers: a play on the meeting between Nobel Laureate in Literature Selma Lagerlöf and the director Victor Sjöström.