Plot Summary

Andreas and Anna embark on a love affair but are soon confronted with disturbing revelations about each other’s pasts. Their relationship suffers irreparable damage through mutual deception, insecurities, and violent outbreaks. Meanwhile, the atmosphere of malaise and menace surrounding the characters is heightened by the presence of an unknown perpetrator on the sparsely populated island who has been brutally torturing and killing farm animals. Bergman and Nykvist’s technical mastery is evident throughout the film, especially in the closing shot, which has been referred to as one of the most extraordinary and innovative in modern cinema.