TEHRAN-The 1966 Swedish avant-garde psychological drama film “Persona” written, directed, and produced by Ingmar Bergman will be screened at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) on Monday.

The movie screening will begin at 5 p.m. at the Nasseri Hall of the IAF and will be followed by a review session in the presence of the film critic Shadmehr Rastin, IRNA reported.

Starring Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann, the story revolves around a young nurse named Alma (Andersson) and her patient, well-known stage actress Elisabet Vogler (Ullmann), who has suddenly stopped speaking. They move to a cottage, where Alma cares for Elisabet, confides in her, and begins having trouble distinguishing herself from her patient.

Characterized by elements of psychological horror, “Persona” has been the subject of much critical analysis, interpretation, and debate. The film's exploration of duality, insanity, and personal identity has been interpreted as reflecting the Jungian theory of persona and dealing with issues related to filmmaking, vampirism, motherhood, abortion, and other subjects. The experimental style of its prologue, storytelling, and end has also been noted.

When first released, “Persona” received positive reviews at its initial release with Swedish press outlets coining the word “Person(a)kult” to describe its enthusiastic admirers. It won Best Film at the 4th Guldbagge Awards and was Sweden's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. 

Over time, “Persona” has received widespread critical acclaim, especially for Bergman's direction, screenplay, and narrative, Nykvist's cinematography, and Andersson's and Ullmann's performances. Many critics consider “Persona” one of the greatest films ever made, Bergman's magnum opus, a work of art of experimental cinema, and Andersson's and Ullmann's performances two of the best female performances in movie history. Persona is also considered one of the most difficult and complex films. It was ranked fifth in Sight & Sound's 1972 poll and 17th in 2012. It also influenced many directors, including Robert Altman, David Lynch, and Denis Villeneuve.

Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as “profoundly personal meditations into the myriad struggles facing the psyche and the soul”. 

Among his most acclaimed works are “The Seventh Seal” (1957), “Wild Strawberries” (1957), and “Persona” (1966).

Bergman directed more than 60 films and documentaries, most of which he also wrote, for both cinema releases and television screenings. Most of his films were set in Sweden, and many of his films from 1961 onward were filmed on the island of Faro. Bergman also had a theatrical career that included periods as Leading Director of Sweden's Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and of Germany's Residenztheater in Munich. He directed more than 170 plays. Among his company of actors were Harriet Andersson, Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Erland Josephson, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnel Lindblom, and Max von Sydow.

SS/SAB