In Cannes 1998, the Ecumenical Jury, before awarding its Prize, paid tribute to Ingmar Bergman on the occasion of his film "Larmar och gör sig till" (In the Presence of a Clown) which had been screened in the Un certain regard section. The hommage of the jury reads: "The Ecumenical Jury wishes to honur Ingmar Bergman for his life's work which reveals the mysteries of the human heart throughout history."
The poetic writing of this film reveals the depth of life, it presents the possibility of a plurality of interpretations, and opens itself to a rich symbolism. Theo Angelopoulos invites us to see and understand the suffering of humanity, illustrates both peronal and collective history, and shows the difficulty of committed artistic creation to awake the commitment of people. We hope that viewers will be moved by the unexpected confrontations, tender sharing, and the struggle with uncompromising truth.