Winter Light reduces, in essence, to listening for verbal revelations, for explorations of self in words. This is doubly disadvantageous in a sub-titled film (or a dubbed one), but it cannot be prime cinema even for Swedes.

[I] was awestruck by its bleak, courageous power.

Never a comfortable film, it's finely acted by a familiar Bergman ensemble, and the awesomely cold vistas form a perfect counterpoint to the spiritual freeze.

This masterpiece, and Bergman’s films in general, will continue to stay relevant as long as the emotions of doubt and faith continue to be relevant components of the human condition.