Saraband 2005

The cinematic narrative unfolds across ten distinct acts, prefaced by a prologue and bookended by an epilogue, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of human experience. The story begins with Marianne (character), standing before a table awash in photographs, her gaze lingering on each image as if reliving cherished moments. The well-lit room serves as a canvas for her recollections, which ebb and flow like the tides of memory. As she pauses to reflect on a particular snapshot, her expression shifts from wistful nostalgia to a poignant recognition of life’s twists and turns.

The tableau vivant of her past is suddenly interrupted by the tender gaze of her first husband, Johan (character), prompting Marianne to embark on a sentimental journey down memory lane. Her thoughts meander through the highs and lows of their relationship, including the eventual breakup, which she later contrasts with the failed second marriage of her former spouse. Meanwhile, Marianne’s own marital experiences have unfolded in unexpected ways, culminating in the untimely passing of her second husband while he was engaged in a solo gliding adventure.

Marianne’s pilgrimage leads her to Johan’s rustic country home, where she finds herself entwined in a family drama that has reached a boiling point. Johan’s struggles with his wayward son, Henrik (character), and granddaughter, Karin (character), serve as the catalyst for a series of events that will challenge the characters’ perceptions of themselves and their relationships. As Marianne becomes embroiled in the intricacies of this family crisis, she finds herself drawn to Johan’s warmth and wisdom, as well as the vibrant spirit of his 19-year-old granddaughter, Karin.

The stakes are heightened when Henrik, a fledgling conductor with a penchant for grand gestures, requests an advance on his inheritance to purchase a coveted Fagnola cello for Karin, who is vying for a spot at the prestigious European music conservatory. Johan, ever the doting patriarch, sets out to broker a deal with the cello dealer, while simultaneously extending an offer to Karin that could potentially alter the trajectory of her artistic ambitions. As Ivan Chablov (character), the esteemed head conductor of the St. Petersburg orchestra and an old friend of Johan’s, enters the fray, Karin is presented with a life-altering opportunity to join him at the renowned Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

As Karin weighs her options, she stumbles upon an old letter from her mother Anna, penned just days before her passing, addressed to Henrik. The missive reveals a poignant request: Anna implores Henrik to release Karin from the suffocating grip he holds as her cello teacher, urging him to free her from his grasp. Meanwhile, Henrik returns from Uppsala, where he had relinquished his position as concertmaster, and sets his sights on convincing Karin to join him in a performance of Bach’s Cello Suites. However, Karin has already made up her mind, opting instead to seize an opportunity to study with Emma in Hamburg under the guidance of the renowned Claudio Abbado. Henrik makes one final plea: he asks Karin to perform the sarabande from Bach’s 5th Cello Suite, a piece she had mastered.

The narrative shifts gears as we find ourselves reacquainted with Marianne and Johan at a later juncture, following Karin’s departure for Hamburg. The tranquility is shattered when Marianne receives a distressing phone call informing her that Henrik has been hospitalized after a desperate attempt to take his own life through pills and self-inflicted wounds. In the aftermath of this harrowing event, we witness Johan succumbing to anxiety, seeking solace in Marianne’s presence. As they lie together in bed, their intimacy serves as a fleeting respite from the turmoil that has beset them.

As Marianne reflects on the past, she reveals how she and Johan maintained contact until the day she was unable to reach him. Her thoughts turn to her mother Anna once more, and she recalls a visit to her ailing daughter Martha in a sanatorium. Marianne shares a poignant account of their tender moment together, one that had long been elusive in their relationship.