„The way I see it farmers are being taken to the slaughterhouse today and not the sheep.”
In this interesting documentary about Fårö, a small Swedish island in the Baltic Sea, Bergman shows impressive, unembellished images. Be it the slaughter and close-up processing of a sheep or a beautiful counterpart, the births of the sheep in March and April. These images are of a wonderful simplicity, be it the individual interviews, which are shot in black and white, the beautiful, calm landscape shots, the ironic text descriptions, the calm music, which becomes poppy as soon as it is about youth. All these factors culminate in fascinating, genuine images of the island and its inhabitants, who laugh but still carry growing sorrows with them.
Be it the farmer Ingrid Ekman, who has taken over her father’s farm and would never give her horses away, her love for them is too big, yet she sees the ever-increasing nationalisation of farms as a great burden. Or the fisherman Artur Johansson, who, despite the new technologies of boats, lacks young enthusiasts and is increasingly unable to sell his goods. Or the teacher Aina Larsson, who would like a bigger school budget for travelling, as the children have often never seen Stockholm. Or bus driver Erik Ekström, who hopes for enough sand on the roads before a serious accident occurs. The children and adolescents who long for a gathering place and youth centre so that there is something to do, and they don’t have to move into the city out of necessity. Birgitta, who is hoping for a day care centre so that she can go back to work. Or Arvid Andersson, who has long wished for a bridge between Fårö and Gotland.
We recognise a recurring element: the citizens are united in their desire for political relief. They are all connected to their island and, apart from the youth, do not want to move away, but feel increasingly separated from the neighbouring island of Gotland, as well as from Sweden, both politically and culturally. But they are not being helped, they are left to their own devices.
Bergman criticises this ignorance and becomes explicitly political in favour of democratic socialism but read Bergman’s words for yourself: “Democracy is said to be equality. The people of Fårö can hardly interpret the word in that sense. Along with other rural communities, they’re deprived of many fundamental rights that are self-evident for urban residents. Democratic socialism for Fårö would mean… “.
The rest belongs to you.
