Daily Routine

Ingmar Bergman had a consistent daily routine that he swore by for decades. In the mornings he woke up at 8 am and then begun writing from 9 am until 12 pm. In a 1964 interview he said: “Eight hours of hard work each day to get three minutes of film.” Script writing was also of the upmost importance to his films, he would work on it on the remote island of Fårö, Sweden.

Bergman ate simple meals. The actor Bibi Andersson recalls his lunch: “He eats the same lunch, …It’s some kind of whipped sour milk and strawberry jam – a strange kind of baby food he eats with corn flakes.” Once lunch had concluded, the Swedish director worked from 1 pm to 3 pm before taking a short hour nap. Upon awakening, Bergman spent the late afternoon on a walk or ventured to the a nearby island to purchase the days paper and collect his mail.

His evening pastimes included socializing with friends, watching a movie or TV (one of his favourite shows was Dallas). He noted: "I never use drugs or alcohol…The most I drink is a glass of wine and that makes me incredibly happy”.