In January 1949 the film producer Roberto Rossellini flew from Italy to New York City to receive the Film Critics Award for the Best Foreign Movie. He then met actress Ingrid Bergman and her husband in California. It was Ingrid Bergman who had contacted him asking him to work with her.
The meeting must have been successful as Ingrid Bergman later goes to Italy to stay for a short period of time. She falls in love with the charming Italian man and stays, leaving husband and daughter in the States.
The designer Katja Geiger knew Ingrid as their husbands worked together. They were Swedish women determened to succeed according to their visions. They both lived in Italy at the same time and probably talked and comforted each other while their husbands struggled with the film.
Ingrid Bergman met her daughter a few years later but it must have been tough years with lot of regrets and tears. It took the American critics many years to get over but the actress was finally forgiven.
Ingrid Bergman was a talented and successful actress. She must have been extremely brave with a strong view of what to achieve. Katja Geiger had the same willingness to achieve according to her dreams too. This is something other women can learn. You just don’t have to leave your kids behind nowadays to make your dreams come true.
Source: Ingrid Bergman A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler.
