Bergman + Empanadas

Call me crazy, but I went to see a Bergman film this evening, Wild Strawberries, or Cuando Huye El Dia, as it is known here, or Smultronstallet (say that three times) as it is known in Sweden. I will spare you the reasons why except to say that the cinema was conveniently located near a subway stop, which is good after dark. It was in Swedish with Spanish subtitles, which is hilarious if you think about it because my comprehension of Swedish and Spanish is about the same. On one hand, it is a pity to not know the dialogue because Bergman's films are not extremely literal, so you don't know exactly what is going on. On the other hand, it is a Bergman film, so you can enjoy it's big themes and not have to worry about petty stuff like dialogue and story line. It was actually a great way to see Bergman.

I have only seen a handful of Bergman movies, but, even without knowing the dialogue, I gathered the typical Bergman themes: dreams, reminiscence, family (particularly childhood), lost love, fear of death, fear of life, the tedium and disappointments of bourgeois life in Sweden, and redemption. Also, it contained the usual symbolism: natural landscapes, tolling bells, storm clouds, beautiful young women and aging men. Also, there was a road trip involved. While I know this sounds flip, I did enjoy the film very much even if it was a lot to mentally digest, as I find Bergman intimidating.

Then, I went to a neighborhood joint for empanadas, ubiquitous Latin American food. Through a miscommunication with the waiter, I ended up with two mozzarella/tomato empanadas instead of one chicken and one mozzarella. They were good, but heavy, especially at 10 pm at night. A lot to literally digest.