Persona

"Ingmar Bergman's most personal and original film."

1966 1h 25m SV

🙌

8.1

BANGER

🔥

91%

CERTIFIED FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

IMDB

★8.1TMDB · 2,499🍅91%Rotten Tomatoes●86Metacritic★8IMDB · 139,387

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young nurse, Alma, is put in charge of Elisabeth Vogler: an actress who is seemingly healthy in all respects, but will not talk. As they spend time together, Alma speaks to Elisabeth constantly, never receiving any answer.

“Ingmar Bergman's most personal and original film.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Bibi Andersson
Alma
Liv Ullmann
Elisabet Vogler
Margaretha Krook
The Doctor
Gunnar Björnstrand
Herr Vogler
Jörgen Lindström
Elisabet's Son (uncredited)
Thích Quảng Đức
Self - burning monk (archive footage)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ingmar Bergman
Writers: Ingmar Bergman, Ingmar Bergman
Languages: Swedish
Countries: Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

85 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ingmar Bergman, shot by Sven Nykvist. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Lars Johan Werle. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ulla Ryghe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann and Margaretha Krook carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Ingmar Bergman's most personal and original film.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0060827 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ingmar Bergman directs. Sven Nykvist behind the camera. Lars Johan Werle scores. Ulla Ryghe cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Sweden. Dialogue in Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

185 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
260 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Ingmar Bergman, shot by Sven Nykvist. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Lars Johan Werle. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ulla Ryghe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann and Margaretha Krook carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Ingmar Bergman's most personal and original film.".
8IMDB entry: tt0060827 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 23 themes, including "dreams", "nurse", "confession", "identity crisis".
10Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Sven Nykvist
Original score: Lars Johan Werle
Editing: Ulla Ryghe
Production design: Bibi Lindström
Costume design: Mago
Makeup / hair: Börje Lundh
Runtime: 85 min · 1h 25m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $250,000
Original language: SV
IMDB: Persona (1966)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 86/100
IMDB rating: 8/10 · 139,387 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Awards

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award8 wins & 4 nominations total

Also by

Ingmar Bergman

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-08-06
★ 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 "Elisabeth" and a bond starts to develop between the two, outwardly profoundly different, women that challenges both of their preconceived ideas of the other. The latter is keen to emulate the former, the former is ultimately keen to prevent her new friend from doing precisely that. Why? What might have caused "Elisabeth" to take such an impenetrable refuge? Essentially this two hander is a monologue; there is precious little by way of contribution from anyone else as the characterisations intensify and the story becomes one of attrition, to an extent, but of cruelty - and of evaluating the sources and causes of cruelty, as well as providing us with a poignantly sensitive look at intimacy and maybe even optimism. I'm certain that there are other depths and allegorical aspects to this that I didn't necessarily appreciate, but unlike with many of this director's films, I found the personas represented here to have more relevance and humanity that in many of his previous works. Coupled with the condensed nature of the storytelling, a strongly complementary score and some effective outdoor cinematography this makes for a compelling film to watch.

Production companies