Existentialism in Art Cinema

‘ The chaos in your soul will give birth to a dancing star.’ Friedrich Nietzsche. Bergmans 1966 film Persona, is surrounded by as much speculation and deliberation as an early Bunuel or Lynch film. Part of the fun, it seems, when approached by a film as difficult and turgid as Persona, is theorizing and guessing at its intended meaning. I shan’t live under the pretense that I follow every gesture, every visual utterance and expression Bergman …

…initial spiritual metamorphosis. Alma walks across the beach, whilst Elizabeth photographs her, suddenly Alma stops and studies her reflection in a puddle for some time. The confrontation of change exists very strongly here. Alma studies her face in the puddle, puzzled; scared - she feels that something has transformed. The camera, i feel, is also of importance, for (following the point of view that the two personas belong to only one of the two characters)