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Persona

Released Mar 6, 1967 1h 21m Drama List
91% Tomatometer 58 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Famed stage actress Elisabeth Vogler (Liv Ullmann) suffers a moment of blankness during a performance and the next day lapses into total silence. Advised by her doctor to take time off to recover from what appears to be an emotional breakdown, Elisabeth goes to a beach house on the Baltic Sea with only Anna (Bibi Andersson), a nurse, as company. Over the next several weeks, as Anna struggles to reach her mute patient, the two women find themselves experiencing a strange emotional convergence.

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Persona

Persona

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Critics Consensus

Arguably Bergman's finest film, Persona explores the human condition with intense curiosity, immense technical skill, and beguiling warmth.

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Critics Reviews

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Susan Sontag Sight & Sound A succession of ever more difficult and rewarding films has turned up in recent years. But that good fortune releases nobody who cares about films from acclaiming work as original and triumphant as Persona. May 3, 2024 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) ... A nifty, stylish and unforgettable hour and a half. Rated: 5/5 Jul 14, 2023 Full Review David Jenkins Little White Lies Hardcore surrealism is rarely this enjoyable. Rated: 5/5 Jan 2, 2018 Full Review Fico Cangiano CineXpress Podcast A quintessential example of avant-garde cinema. Bergman's influential film holds so much more than one initially thinks. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 1, 2024 Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm The quintessential, mid-century art film... Rated: 3.5/4 Mar 1, 2023 Full Review Barbara Grier The Ladder The movie is weird, as are all of [Bergman's], but it is worth seeing -- even twice. Jun 30, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mason M With an opening that almost feels like a visual poem, and a plot that makes less and less sense but more entertaining, Persona is a beautiful film. I was horrified while watching it, due to the extreme jump scare halfway through, which kept me on the edge of my seat for the rest of the film. It's a beautifully crafted analysis of guilt, and trying to forget about those things that make you feel guilty. Persona is a film that will be talked about for many more years. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Pierre G An outstanding, minimalist film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review Sam F The alpha and the omega, the single movie I would take with me if I could only save one. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/11/24 Full Review John A Bergman certainly does a visual and textured number on the viewer in multiple facets. Although puzzling it is compelling and even somewhat haunting. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/23/24 Full Review Cody P I also have schizophrenia no I don't Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/18/24 Full Review Alec B Setting aside the fact that the movie's influence is massive, "Persona" remains a gorgeous and intimate experience, as much about watching films as it is a character study. Andersson and Ullmann give towering, absolutely perfect performances. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

Hour of the Wolf 92% 86% Hour of the Wolf The Rite 75% 71% The Rite Wild Strawberries 94% 94% Wild Strawberries Monika 100% 83% Monika Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Famed stage actress Elisabeth Vogler (Liv Ullmann) suffers a moment of blankness during a performance and the next day lapses into total silence. Advised by her doctor to take time off to recover from what appears to be an emotional breakdown, Elisabeth goes to a beach house on the Baltic Sea with only Anna (Bibi Andersson), a nurse, as company. Over the next several weeks, as Anna struggles to reach her mute patient, the two women find themselves experiencing a strange emotional convergence.
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Producer
Ingmar Bergman
Screenwriter
Ingmar Bergman
Distributor
Video Yesteryear, United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Reel Media International [us], Lopert Pictures Corp.
Production Co
Svensk Filmindustri
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Swedish
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 6, 1967, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 11, 2017
Runtime
1h 21m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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