Overview
A poignant reunion stirs old emotions and buried tensions in a serene autumn setting.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- intimate
- oppressive
- quiet evening
- serious film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Saraband as an accomplished, powerfully honest late Bergman drama, even when describing it as a comparatively minor entry in his filmography.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Marianne, Johan, Henrik, and Karin confront one another primarily around Johan's summer house and its adjoining cottage.
The strained relationship between Johan and Henrik shapes the household, while Henrik's control of Karin reproduces familial pressure.
Anna's death continues to govern Henrik's grief and the emotional atmosphere of the family two years later.
The reunion of Marianne and Johan after thirty years reconnects the film to Bergman's long-running exploration of marriage, memory, and spiritual intimacy.
Films like Saraband, and why
Scenes from a Marriage
A Bergman chamber drama centered on estranged family members, emotional confession, and spiritual reckoning.
Autumn Sonata
Shares Bergman's intimate treatment of family trauma, aging, and painful interpersonal confrontation.
The Celebration
A restrained Scandinavian family drama about buried resentment, grief, and difficult reconciliation.
The Dead
Comparable for its austere domestic setting and emotionally devastating examination of parent-child relationships.
Movie Details
- Director
- Ingmar Bergman
- Release Date
- 2003-12-01
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (137)
Cast
- Liv Ullmann
- Erland Josephson
- Börje Ahlstedt
- Julia Dufvenius
- Gunnel Fred
Where to watch in United States
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Saraband about?
- An unexpected reunion at a rural Swedish summer house exposes the grief, control, and inherited wounds binding three generations of a fractured family.
- What is Saraband like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Saraband as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Saraband violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Saraband.
- What did critics think of Saraband?
- Critics broadly regard Saraband as an accomplished, powerfully honest late Bergman drama, even when describing it as a comparatively minor entry in his filmography.
- Which films are like Saraband?
- Films with a similar feel include Scenes from a Marriage, Autumn Sonata, The Celebration, and The Dead.
- How long is Saraband?
- Saraband runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Saraband?
- In United States, Saraband is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
