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The Seventh Seal

1957 · TMDB 8.1 · Det sjunde inseglet

Directed by Ingmar Bergman

When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.

Why it matters

Bergman's medieval allegory follows a knight who plays chess with Death while the plague ravages his land, forcing him to confront faith, doubt, and the meaning of existence.

From When the World Catches Cold

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