The Ritual is an alternate English-language title for
Ingmar Bergman's
The Rite (
Riten). Made for Swedish television in 1969, this short film was
Bergman's
revenge against those who opposed his management of the Royal Dramatic
Theatre. The storyline involves three actors whose recent production has
been judged obscene by the powers-that-be.
Bergman
deliberately obscures the "controversial" quality of the production
itself, forcing the viewers to assess their own opinions over what is
obscene and what isn't. Intending to shock and provoke his audience,
Bergman was appalled that many viewers laughed at
The Rite, misinterpreting it as a satirical comedy.
