In Summer with Monika, young Harry and Monika escape their bleak existence in Stockholm and sail around the archipelago in a boat. For one summer, everything seems possible: away from work, family and expectations, they experience a brief period of freedom and falling in love. But when the summer is over, reality sets in once more.

With Summer with Monika, Bergman made a film about youth, longing and the illusion that one can escape one’s life. The loose, summery imagery and the presence of Harriet Andersson lend the film a great sense of immediacy and sensuality. Behind the romance, Bergman’s sharp insight into the expectations that society places on love and coming of age soon becomes apparent.