THE RITE

Three itinerant actors are accused of taking part in a performance deemed pornographic by the state’s authorities. As they are called to court, criminal interrogations and interpersonal confrontations ensue, causing them to expose their neuroses and inner psychological torments.

Reminiscent of Hour of the Wolf and The Magician, this gem from Bergman’s overlooked mid/late 1960s work is a bold debate on censorship, and perhaps the filmmaker’s most cathartic treatment of his usual themes of theatricality and performance. Featuring a cameo from Bergman himself—playing a priest!