Autumn Sonata is a 1978 drama film directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann. The film revolves around Charlotte Andergast, a world-renowned pianist, who travels to Sweden to meet her daughter Eva after seven years of separation. Eva is married to a pastor and has two children, but her marriage is in trouble, and she is estranged from her mentally ill sister, Helena.
Charlotte, on the other hand, is a successful artist who has neglected her family in pursuit of her career. She senses that something is wrong between her and Eva, and they begin a long night of conversation, where they confront the issues that have alienated them from each other. Eva accuses Charlotte of being emotionally absent, and Charlotte admits that she has failed as a mother.
During the conversation, Charlotte learns that Eva has taken Helena out of the asylum and is caring for her at home. Charlotte is horrified by this revelation, as she had thought Helena was still in the asylum. Helena's presence further complicates the fraught relationship between Charlotte and Eva, as they each struggle to come to terms with their own guilt and trauma.
Autumn Sonata is a powerful exploration of the mother-daughter relationship, the price of success, and the nature of forgiveness. The film is famous for the towering performances of Bergman and Ullmann, who deliver some of the finest turns of their careers. Bergman's sensitive direction and skillful use of music make Autumn Sonata a haunting, introspective work that stays with the viewer long after the credits have rolled.