Synopsis
The Rite is one of
Bergman’s most stylised and political films. A Kafkaesque chamber drama originally written for the stage, this production was made for TV so that
Bergman and his crew could utilise extensive closeups of the performers’ faces against minimalist set decor. Three itinerant actors, played by
Bergman regulars
Ingrid Thulin,
Gunnar Björnstrand, and
Anders Ek, are accused of taking part in a performance deemed pornographic by the state’s authorities. Taut, bold, and dark,
The Rite confronts artistic censorship while also investigating central
Bergman themes such as sexual violence and the nature of performance.
