The face as a cinematic construction: Ingmar Bergman’s visual strategies

Abstract

The research aims to systematize the visual strategies of the Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman regarding the human face as the central expressive element of a screen work and to present them as a cohesive authorial system. The article examines methods of framing the face: its spatial orientation, lighting solutions, partial concealment, the interaction of multiple faces within a single composition, the role of costume and props, and the connection of these techniques to mise-en-scène and performance. Special attention is given to the film “Persona” (1966) as the pinnacle of the director’s exploration of the face’s potential in cinema. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that, for the first time, Bergman’s visual practices related to the representation of the face are examined as a systemic unity encompassing the visual, technological, and directorial-performative levels of film production. The study concludes that Bergman’s work with the face is not merely a set of isolated techniques but an integrated concept in which staging, lighting, cinematographic choices, and interaction with actors are inextricably linked; it is this interconnectedness that defines the uniqueness of his cinematic language.

Research materials

1. Бергман И. Зимний свет / Nattvardsgästerna. Швеция: Svensk Filmindustri, 1963.
2. Бергман И. Источник / Jungfrukällan. Швеция: Svensk Filmindustri, 1960.
3. Бергман И. Крики и шёпоты / Viskningar och rop. Швеция: Cinematograph, 1972.
4. Бергман И. Лето с Моникой / Sommaren med Monika. Швеция: Svensk Filmindustri, 1953.
5. Бергман И. Персона / Persona. Швеция: Svensk Filmindustri, 1966.
6. Бергман И. Седьмая печать / Det sjunde inseglet. Швеция: Svensk Filmindustri, 1957.

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Author information

About this article

Publication history

• Received: March 10, 2026.
• Published: April 8, 2026.

Keywords

• Ингмар Бергман
• крупный план
• кинематографическая композиция
• разносъёмка
• визуальный стиль
• Ingmar Bergman
• close-up
• cinematic composition
• multi-angle coverage
• visual style

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© 2026 The Author(s)
© 2026 Gramota Publishing, LLC

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)