In fact, the film was originally titled Cinematography, only to be abandoned and took on the title Persona at the advice of a film company executive. Naturally, any individual would wish to keep such grim part of themselves hidden from the world, but Bergman chose to use cinematography to expose this side of human beings on the silver screen. On the other hand, the recognition of a person’s shortcomings and powerlessness necessarily requires the individual’s acknowledgement of the multiplicity of roles they play in their lives.

As a social construction, it does not only conceal the flaws of an individual to the world, but also possibly to the individuals themselves. The word persona originated from Latin, meaning a “theatrical mask.” Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung developed and defined the concept persona as “the individual’s system of adaptation to, or the manner he assumes in dealing with, the world.” 3 In simpler words, “it is a kind of mask, designed on one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual.” To Jung, the persona was not just individual, it was social, historical, interpersonal and collective. Human faces demonstrate the psychic processes of a human being, and in this connection, it brings us back to the title of the film, Persona. Persona―Theatrical MaskĪmong all film critics, Jacques Mandelbaum’s descriptions perhaps best fit the theme of the discussion below: the film is about “the reversible nature of appearances, the porosity of faces and absolute deprivation.” 2 The theatrical promotional posters of Persona, which advertised with the close-up shots of the lead actresses, confirm the importance of human face in the film. Following Doctor Lindkvist’s advice, the two of them move to a remote island in hopes of a speedier recovery for Elisabet. This life-saving film chronicles the story of a stage actress Elisabet Vogler 1 falling silent in the middle of a performance of the Greek tragedy Electra, subsequently being taken to a mental hospital and placed under the care of nurse Alma. Elisabet (Liv Ullmann) falling silent in the middle of her Electra performance.

The director claimed that he “went as far as he could go” for the film, and by doing so, the film “saved his life.” Some argued that this refers to Bergman’s artistry, but it would not be an exaggeration if one thinks of Bergman’s actual life, for his life depended on artistic creations. This was when Bergman conceived the idea for Persona. The hospital stay, while disabling the auteur, enabled him to reflect upon and question the nature of his works.

The hospitalization placed Bergman in a different world, segregating him from the hustle of several demanding roles. He nonetheless decided to keep his hands busy while convalescing. Bergman was admitted to Sophiahemmet, the royal hospital in Sweden, for illnesses due to overwork. In Ingmar Bergman’s prolific career, Persona (1966) is arguably his most recognizable yet puzzling masterpiece.

Persona movie