The most persistent theory surrounding "Jag ar Maria -1979-" is that it refers to a from the Swedish Film Institute (Svenska Filminstitutet). The late 1970s saw a surge of feminist auteur filmmaking in Sweden. Directors like Marianne Ahrne and Mai Zetterling were exploring female psychological landscapes.
A third, more academic source points to the in Stockholm. In the autumn of 1979, performance artist Gunilla Berg (1948-2008) staged a 72-hour durational piece titled Jag är Maria, eller hur? (I am Maria, right?). Jag ar Maria -1979-