The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

ordeal, especially considering the turbulent relationship that he and Emma had endured. He never knew what sort of ideas would pop into her head. New doubts, new questions. Their first year together had been a real roller-coaster. Anything was possible. It would have been typical of their relationship if she hadn’t turned up at all. But in the end she did. Thank God. Sometimes when he thought back on everything they had gone through together, he wondered how he’d managed. Love was incomprehensible. Certain relationships couldn’t handle the least bit of trouble, while others survived one setback after another. His relationship with Emma belonged to the latter group. That was why he was positive it would last.
    Now he looked out at the swarm of people and recognized quite afew famous actors, directors, and others with ties to the film business. There were plenty of figures from the world of culture. He and Pia started walking towards the gravesite, which was a short distance away. Pia was filming.
    Ingmar Bergman was buried there alongside his wife in the simple but lovely grave situated high up in one corner of the cemetery, with a view over the fields, meadows and sea.
    People had been making pilgrimages there ever since he was laid to rest. There were so many visitors that the cemetery association had been forced to put a flagstone path in the grass leading to the gravesite.
    ‘I can’t believe how many celebrities are here today,’ exclaimed Pia eagerly as they walked back to the church. ‘I’m going to get a few shots before they go inside.’
    ‘Sure,’ said Johan as he headed for the actress Pernilla August, who was talking to Jörn Donner, a famous director who had also been Bergman’s good friend.
    Both of them promised Johan an interview as soon as the opening ceremonies were over.
    In the crush he saw the director Sam Dahlberg. He had an open and pleasant face; his sunglasses were pushed up on his head and he had that slightly unshaven look that made him even more handsome. At the moment he was smoking a cigarette with a beautiful, dark-haired woman whom Johan recognized as his wife, Andrea. Johan introduced himself, wanting to know whether he might ask a few questions.
    ‘That’s fine. Go ahead,’ said Dahlberg enthusiastically.
    Johan motioned for Pia to join them. She was busy documenting how Jan Troell was stuffing himself with pastries that the waitresses were serving on big silver trays. The next moment she was at his side, ready to get started.
    ‘What does the Bergman festival mean to you?’ asked Johan.
    ‘A tremendous amount. I’ve been here every year since it started. I think it’s important to discuss his work and show his films. And what better place to do that than on Fårö?’
    ‘What are you most looking forward to this week?’
    ‘The bus trip when we ride around to see all of the locations that he used in his films. Four of Bergman’s films were shot here on the island. It’s going to be especially exciting to see where
Persona
was filmed. Apparently it’s very near his house.’
    ‘Bergman’s house has stood empty for the past year, and no one seems to know what to do about it. What’s your opinion?’
    ‘The nightmare would be if his children think only of the money and sell it to some super-rich Arab prince or a Hollywood millionaire to use as their private summer place. But I also have a hard time imagining it as a museum, with thousands of visitors allowed to tramp through his living room and library. That would seem like an assault on Bergman, since he valued his seclusion here on Fårö so much. But I like the idea of giving out grants to writers and permitting them to spend time here. I think Bergman would have approved of that.’
    ‘What kind of relationship did you – or do you – have with Bergman?’
    ‘Unfortunately, I never met him, but I once talked to him on the phone. He rang after the premiere of my film
Master
to say how much he liked it. I thought Andrea was joking when she told me that Ingmar Bergman was on the phone.’ Sam Dahlberg laughed, poked his wife in the side, and shook his head.
    ‘So what did he say?’
    ‘He thought the film was important and well done. We talked for quite a while. It was an amazing conversation, and when I put down the phone, I wondered if it had actually taken place. He was calling from here on Fårö. I remember that I imagined where he might be sitting in his house, how it might look.’
    ‘So