Media gallery for
Persona

Nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson): ’I always thought great artists felt this great compassion for other people. That they created art out of great compassion and a need to help. That was silly of me.’ In the foreground Elisabet (Liv Ullmann).

Elisabet Vogler (Liv Ullmann): ’Nothing.’

Bibi Andersson (nurse Alma) was already an established part of the Bergman ensemble. Liv Ullmann (Elisabet Vogler) was a brand new addition. Bergman and Ullmann’s collaboration would result in twelve films, a theatre and a daughter.

Bergman and Nykvist’s fondness for close-ups reached new heights with Persona, firmly establishing the 'Nykvist style'. A style facetiously summarized as ’two faces and a teacup’.

Bergman, Bibi Andersson (nurse Alma) and Liv Ullmann (Elisabet Vogler) during filming.

Most of the filming took place on Fårö but began with some work in the studio, Filmstaden, starting on July 19th, 1965.

Page from Bergman’s shooting script.

’Two peas in a pod’ is written next to the photograph of Bibi Andersson (nurse Alma) and Liv Ullmann (Elisabet Vogler), that adorns the inside of Bergman’s shooting script.

Handwritten script for Persona with working title Cinematography. Dated Ornö June 17th, 1965. According to Kenne Fant, any title would be ’better than Cinematography.’

’I have not produced a film script in the ordinary sense. What I have written seems to me almost like a melody voice which I believe that, with the help of my co-workers, can put instrument into during the shooting.’ Handwritten script for Persona with the working title Cinematography. Dated Ornö June 17th, 1965.

Workbook no 22 includes a script draft for Persona. Dated July 8th, 64 – January 31th, 66.

Nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson), Mr. Vogler (Gunnar Björnstrand) and Elisabet Vogler (Liv Ullmann). An important source of inspiration for Persona was, in particular August Strindberg’s one-act play The Stronger, in which one character speaks and another remains silent.

In the script for Persona, Bergman writes the following about the prologue: ’I imagine the transparent ribbon of film rushing rusande through the projector. Washed cleaned of signs and pictures, it produces a flickering reflected light from the screen.’

Nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson): ’Is it really important not to lie? To speak so that everything rings true? Can one live without lying and quibbling and making excuses? Isn’t it better to be lazy and lax? Perhaps you even improve by staying as you are.’

Swedish poster for Persona.