Bergman appealed to filmmaker Kenne Fant for funding for the project. Supportive, Fant asked about the film's concept and Bergman shared his vision of women comparing hands. Fant assumed that the film would be inexpensive, and agreed to fund it. In his book "Images", Bergman wrote, "Today I feel that in "Persona"—and later in "Cries and Whispers"—I had gone as far as I could go. And that in these two instances when working in total freedom, I touched wordless secrets that only the cinema can discover." He also said, "At some time or other, I said that "Persona" saved my life—that is no exaggeration. If I had not found the strength to make that film, I would probably have been all washed up. One significant point: for the first time I did not care in the least whether the result would be a commercial success". The filmmakers considered the titles "Sonat för två kvinnor" ("Sonata for Two Women"), "Ett stycke kinematografi" ("A Piece of Cinematography"), "Opus 27", and "Kinematografi", but Fant suggested something more accessible and the title was changed.