Fanny and Alexander (re-release) 2004

In the picturesque Swedish town of 1907, the Ekdahl family - comprising Alexander, his sister Fanny, and their well-off parents Emilie and Oscar - run a moderately successful theatre. The festive atmosphere is palpable as they host a Nativity play and a grand Christmas party. However, this joyous period is short-lived, as Oscar’s sudden passing from a stroke leaves the family reeling. Emilie, still grieving, hastily marries Edvard Vergérus, the local bishop, who lives with his mother, sister, aunt, and maids in a sprawling household.

As Emilie settles into her new life, she naively expects to bring her warm, carefree nature into the marriage. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that Edvard’s rigid authoritarianism is an unyielding force. The tension between them is palpable, particularly when it comes to Alexander, who invents fantastical tales for which Edvard metes out harsh punishments. Emilie’s pleas for a divorce are met with resistance from the bishop, who refuses to relinquish control and threatens to strip her of custody if she leaves. Meanwhile, the rest of the Ekdahl family is growing increasingly anxious about their situation.

In secret, Emilie visits her former mother-in-law Helena, revealing her pregnancy to her sympathetic ear. As Emilie’s absence from home prolongs, Edvard confines the children to their bedroom, claiming it’s for their safety. Within these walls, Alexander confides in his siblings about a bizarre encounter with the ghosts of the Vergérus family, who allegedly revealed Edvard’s guilt in their deaths. The maid Justina shares this story with Edvard, prompting him to mete out corporal punishment.

Upon Emilie’s return, the Ekdahl family friend Isak Jacobi steps in, helping to smuggle the children from the house and into temporary refuge at his store. As tensions escalate, Emilie’s former brothers-in-law confront Edvard, using the children, his debts, and the threat of a public scandal as leverage to negotiate a divorce. However, the bishop remains unmoved, refusing to budge from his entrenched position.

As Emilie’s pregnancy reaches its later stages, she remains resolute in refusing to return Edvard’s children to his care. With calculated deliberation, she administers a substantial dose of her bromide sedative, allowing him to succumb to its effects as she reveals her intention to flee the premises once he falls asleep. Edvard, his threats of ruining their lives now rendered powerless by the medication, lapses into unconsciousness. Following Emilie’s escape, a series of unfortunate events unfolds, beginning with Aunt Elsa’s accidental overturning of a gas lamp, which sets her bedclothes, nightgown, and hair ablaze. Panicked, she frantically searches for Edvard’s assistance, but he too is engulfed in flames. Despite being partially incapacitated by the sedative, he manages to extricate himself from Aunt Elsa’s grasp, though his efforts are ultimately futile as he succumbs to his injuries soon after.

Meanwhile, Alexander had long fantasized about his stepfather’s demise while living with Isak and his nephews Aron and Ismael Retzinsky. The enigmatic Ismael posits that fantasies can become reality if one merely dreams them into being.