Five conversations frame a flawed marriage in this film written by Ingmar Bergman about his parents. Guilt-ridden wife Anna (Pernilla August) divulges an extramarital affair to a priest, her uncle Jacob (Max von Sydow). He presses her to confess her sins to her husband, Henrik. As the film moves back and forth in time, the notion of truth is tested. Tomas, the lover, and Henrik will find that Anna's confessions do not absolve anyone, and have the power to inflict more pain.

Sune, a dropped out theology student who also is the son of a priest, meets Viveka in a church. The two connect via a theological discussion and eventually get married. As the years pass, Viveka grows more and more emotionally unstable due to jealousy and religious anxiety. Sune accepts Viveka's mental problems and, instead of seeking help for his wife, obeys her increasingly bizarre commands.

As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie, marries a stern bishop. The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.

A Professor comes home carrying a paper bag with food. Among the goods in the bag is apricot jam. His wife reacts strongly, since they always have eaten orange marmalade. The Professor leaves his house and checks into a hotel.

Swedish school drama.

Dr. Jenny Isaksson is a psychiatrist married to another psychiatrist; both are successful in their jobs but slowly, agonizingly, Jenny succumbs to a breakdown. She is haunted by images and emotions from her past and eventually cannot function as a wife, doctor, or individual.

Dr. Jenny Isaksson is a psychiatrist whose temporary position at a mental hospital offers only modest responsibilities. With her husband out of the country for a seminar and her daughter at camp, Jenny moves in with her grandparents, expecting a relaxing few months. But it isn't long before unpleasant memories of her childhood, the sudden appearance of strange apparitions, and a near-rape push this otherwise stable woman to the very edge of sanity.

A woman gets cancer.

Hedvig lives in a trailer in the woods and has a nose for learning new words. Helping her is Helge, an owl who lives on her roof.

A comedic play targeting a young audience.

A small picturesque town at the turn of the century. The conservative views of the townspeople are shaken when they find out that the school teacher Franzén published his own poetry anonymously many years ago. At the same time he acknowledges his love affair with a waitress at the city hotel, Fanny. What is most upsetting is the fact that Fanny has a grownup daughter, Anna, with no known father. Could their poet teacher be the father although he and Fanny are not married?

The devil has a stye in his eye, caused by the purity of a vicar's daughter. To get rid of it, he sends Don Juan up from hell to seduce the 20 year old Britt-Marie and to rob her of her virginity and her belief in love. She however can resist him and things get even turned around when Don Juan falls in love with her. The fact that he feels love for the first time now, makes him even less attractive to her and Don Juan returns to hell.

Susanne [Susanne Ulfsäter] is a young woman who lives with her parents, parents that don’t really give a toss about her and spend more time entertaining guests and complaining about their fair daughter and her appearance. Agitated by her parents hassle and moaning during their chic dinner parties, Susanne takes off to a café where a lad she’s attracted to, Olle [Arnold Stackelberg], is hanging out with his greaser mates. He invites her on a date the following evening during which they make out and drive way to fast – despite Susanne’s objections.

Three women in a maternity ward reveal their lives and intimate thoughts to each other.

A day in the life of a theater ensemble. The acting students are struggling to get one foot ahead of the others and the regular cast is fighting for the good parts.

About the life of the student, Bo Dahlin. Bo's parents are divorced. Both have been unfaithful. Bo is engaged to Kerstin, but only has eyes for Anita. Anita is filled with self-disgust.

Lieutenants Johnny Waller and Ingvar Lund have been appointed captains of two torpedo boats.

Harriet and Frank Allard have been married for many years. Almost twenty years ago, Harriet had a love affair with a colleague of Frank's, Claes von Klitzow, who made her pregnant. She had a son, Christer, whom Frank thinks that he is the father of. One day, Christer reveals that he is going to marry von Klitzow's daughter Louise. Harriet becomes upset but what will she do? Try to stop the marriage by telling the truth - which would endanger her marriage with Frank - or keep silent, which would mean that two half-siblings married?

Helge Lysvik is a farmers son. He dreams of a future as a musician.

Andersson is always complaining about high taxes and dreams about a world with no taxes.

Orphan boy and vicar's daughter fall in love but her father is strongly opposed to their relationship.

The young high school graduate Göran and the 17-year-old Kerstin get to know each other on the estate of Göran's uncle Persson and fall in love. But their relationship is watched suspiciously by the jammed adult world. While Persson has an understanding of the youth, Kerstin's parents and the pastor of the village rant against the alleged immorality of the young people. Despite all the malice, Göran and Kerstin decide for their love. But this love should last only one summer.