The Virgin Spring

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The Virgin Spring
original movie poster
Directed by	Ingmar Bergman
Produced by	Ingmar Bergman Allan Ekelund
Written by	Ulla Isaksson
Starring	Max von Sydow Birgitta Valberg Gunnel Lindblom Birgitta Pettersson
Music by	Erik Nordgren
Cinematography	Sven Nykvist
Distributed by	Janus Films
Release date(s)	February 8, 1960 November 14, 1960
Running time	89 min.
Language	Swedish
IMDb profile

The Virgin Spring (Swedish: Jungfrukällan) is a 1960 Swedish film directed by Ingmar Bergman. Set in medieval Sweden, it is a revenge tale about a family's response to the murder of their daughter. The story is based on a 13th century Swedish ballad that was adapted by screenwriter Ulla Isaksson.

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Cast 3 Awards and Nominations 4 See also 5 External link

[edit] Synopsis

The Virgin Spring tells the story of a wealthy Christian family whose daughter, Karin (Birgitta Pettersson), the "light" child, is ordered to bring candles to the church. She is accompanied by her foster sister, Ingeri (Gunnel Lindblom), the "dark" child, who secretly worships the pagan god Odin. Along the way the two part, and Karin sets out on her own. She meets three herdsmen, and invites them to eat her snack with her. Later on the two older goatherders (but not the younger one) rape and murder Karin, then leave the scene with her clothing. The herders then, unknowingly, seek shelter at the home of the murdered girl. Her parents, played by Max von Sydow and Birgitta Valberg, discover that it was the goatherds who killed their daughter when they try to sell the mother some of her daughter's clothes. Locking them in their chamber, the father then kills the two murderers, along with their younger brother. The next day, the parents set out to find their daughter's body. Her father vows that, although he cannot understand God, he will build a church at the site of his daughter's death. As her parents lift her head from the ground, a spring begins to flow from where she was lying. Ingeri now wishes to wash herself with the water.

[edit] Cast

• Max von Sydow................Töre
• Birgitta Valberg................Märeta
• Gunnel Lindblom..............Ingeri
• Birgitta Pettersson............Karin
• Axel Düberg, Tor Isedal....The herdsmen
• Ove Porath......................The boy
• Allan Edwall.....................Beggar
• Gudrun Brost...................Frida
• Oscar Ljung....................Simon

[edit] Awards and Nominations

The Virgin Spring won the following awards:

• Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1961
• A Special Mention for Ingmar Bergman in the Cannes Film Festival 1960
• Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film-1961 (tie with La Vérité)
• Kinema Junpo Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Foreign Film Director (Ingmar Bergman)-1962

It was also nominated for the following categories:

• Golden Palm-Cannes Film Festival
• Best Costume Design, Black & White- 1961 Academy Awards

[edit] See also

• Middle Ages in film
• The Last House on the Left is a 1972 horror film written and directed by Wes Craven, the story of which closely follows The Virgin Spring.

[edit] External link

• The Virgin Spring at the Internet Movie Database
• Criterion Collection essay by Peter Cowie

Films by Ingmar Bergman

Crisis • A Ship to India • Summer with Monika • Smiles of a Summer Night • The Seventh Seal • Wild Strawberries • The Magician • The Virgin Spring • Through a Glass Darkly • Winter Light • The Silence • All These Women • Persona • Hour of the Wolf • Skammen • The Rite • The Passion of Anna • The Touch • Cries and Whispers • Scenes from a Marriage • The Magic Flute • Face to Face • The Serpent's Egg • Autumn Sonata • From the Life of the Marionettes • Fanny and Alexander • Karin's Face • After the Rehearsal • In the Presence of a Clown • Saraband

Preceded by: Black Orpheus

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1960

Succeeded by: Through a Glass Darkly