About the work
“Treulose” (Swedish “Trolösa”, English “Faithless”) is based on a screenplay by Ingmar Bergman that Liv Ullmann made into a film; it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 13 May 2000 and opened in Swedish cinemas in September 2000. Bergman drew loosely on his own experiences of adultery. On stage the text is performed in German in Renate Bleibtreu's translation.
Plot
An ageing director named Bergman summons the actress Marianne from his memory and questions her about an affair that changed her life. Marianne is married to the conductor Markus, and the couple have a young daughter, Isabelle. When she begins a love affair in Paris with their mutual friend David, jealousy and hatred take hold; Markus demands a divorce and sole custody, and the dispute over the child turns into a struggle for power.
Cultural significance
Bergman himself appears in the text as a character, combining a marital drama with the perspective of an author who lets his characters emerge from memory. The film was nominated for Best Film at the 2000 European Film Awards, and Lena Endre won the Swedish Guldbagge Award for her performance as Marianne.