Persona
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One of the boldest identity explorations in cinema history took shape in the hands of Swedish master Ingmar Bergman in 1966. Bergman does not content himself with telling just one story in this film; he Decamps the viewer right in the middle of that thin, permeable boundary between reality and fiction, between the self and the other. This journey, which began when a famous theater actor, shimmering under the stage lights, suddenly decided to shut up one day, is presented like a seemingly silent human drama. However, Bergman's problem runs much deeper. The audience soon realizes that this silence is more of a rebellion than an escape; a conscious rejection that is like a flare against society, art, even existence itself. This room drama between two women grows increasingly intense in the deserted summer house in the coastal town. Over time, the nurse's spoken words and the player's guarded silence begin to transform each other and even blend together. As Alma speaks, Elisabet grows; as Elisabet remains silent, Alma melts away. Bergman asks here how fluid and fragile is the structure of identity: do we see ourselves by looking at someone else, or do we build someone else by looking at ourselves? Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann's extraordinary performances convey these metaphysical questions directly to the audience's hearts. Sven Nykvist's black-and-white images turn the atmosphere into an almost physical weight; the faces become confessions in these frames, there is no need for words. Bergman also pushes formal boundaries in this film. The narrative structure, oscillating between realism and surrealism, occasionally extends to moments where the film itself questions its own nature. This essay is one of the rare works that takes into account the self-reflective gaze and employs cinema both as a tool and a subject. Despite the passage of decades, Persona poses questions about psychoanalysis, identity, and empathy that remain relevant today. What happens when the aspects of ourselves we avoid confronting show up one day? It is not easy to find another film that asks this question in such a disturbing and beautiful way.
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CinemaSerf
August 06, 2023
7/10
This is one of my favourite Bergman films that darkly and potently showcases the skills of two women at the top of their game. "Elisabeth" (Liv Ullmann) is an acclaimed stage actress who, mid-performance, is struck dumb. Nobody is quite sure what has caused this, but a nurse is duly hired to take care of her. "Alma" (Bibi Andersson) arrives and soon comes to believe that the silence of her charge is her choice. She simply doesn't want to talk! Devoid of visitors, "Alma" constantly chatters to "E...
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Frequently Asked Questions
Persona was released in 1966.
Persona has a runtime of 1 hr 24 min (84 minutes).
Persona belongs to the following genres: Drama.
Persona has a rating of 8.1/10 from 2,414 votes on TMDB.
In the United States, Persona is available to watch on: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, Darkroom, HBO Max.