Through a Glass Darkly

The first part of Ingmar Bergman's 'Faith Trilogy', about a writer (Björnstrand) who joins his daughter, son and son-in-law on holiday, where tensions soon arise.

The first part of Ingmar Bergman's 'Faith trilogy' (or 'trilogy of silence') remains one of the great director's undisputed masterworks. A writer (Björnstrand) joins his daughter, son and son-in-law on holiday; within hours, petty disappointments yield to a more serious crisis. In this piercing study of familial tensions, mental turmoil and hapless love – notable for its taut, pacy narrative and superb performances (Andersson is especially impressive) – Bergman and cinematographer Sven Nykvist use the summer light and remote island setting (Fårö) to brilliantly evocative effect.