Dietro le maschere: una semiotica della simulatio nel cinema

Abstract

This essay delves into the concepts of simulatio and dissimulatio, exploring their significance within semiotics and their compelling application in the realm of cinema. It explores the intricate relationship between simulatio and dissimulatio in cinema, utilizing Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 masterpiece Persona as a prime case study. Through a semiotic analysis, the text highlights how the two terms, especially simulatio, are fundamental tools in cinematic narration, used to create suspense, manipulate the viewer’s perception and explore the complexity of the human experience. Bergman’s film offers a profound reflection on the nature of fiction and representation, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. The Swedish auteur explores themes of deception, falsehood, identity, the essence of acting, and the very nature of cinema itself. The essay concludes by pondering the role of screens in contemporary society, emphasizing how the simulatio of images today extends well beyond the cinematographic context, offering the public new possibilities for interpreting the visual world but also blurring the boundaries between virtual and tangible.

Keywords: Simulatio, Semiotics, Cinema, Deception, Persona