Cinemas of Therapeutic Activism: Depression and the Politics of Existence

Cinemas of Therapeutic Activism explores how depression can be perceived through the work of contemporary filmmakers who express a shared concern for mental health under global capitalism. Adam Szymanski proposes a relational understanding of depression that is attentive to the eventful, collective, and contingent qualities of subjectivity, resulting in a melancholy aesthetics that is attuned to the existential contours and political stakes of health. The films of Angela Schanelec, Kelly Reichardt, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Kanakan Balintagos are grouped together for the first time, constituting a polystylistic common front of artist-physicians who live, work, and create on the belief that life can be more liveable.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 182 pages
\n Publication date: 08 October 2020
\n Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
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The dominant interpretation of depression as a universal mental illness, characterized by its individualized manifestation, finds support in the clinical gaze of psychiatrists. To challenge this notion, Cinemas of Therapeutic Activism delves into the work of contemporary filmmakers who share a deep concern for mental health in the context of global capitalism. Through their critical lenses, Adam Szymanski proposes a relational understanding of depression that emphasizes its intricate connections with the collective, the contingent, and the experiential aspects of subjectivity. What emerges is a melancholic aesthetics that is attuned to the existential contours and political implications of health.

Cinemas of Therapeutic Activism boldly crosses boundaries of national, linguistic, and cultural differences. This exploration is facilitated by the gathering of films from Angela Schanelec, Kelly Reichardt, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Kanakan Balintagos, forming a polystylistic collective known as artist-physicians. These filmmakers not only live and work based on the belief that life can be made more livable but also actively create works that reflect this vision.

By exploring the work of these filmmakers and Szymanski's relational perspective on depression, Cinemas of Therapeutic Activism offers a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on mental health and its relationship to the broader socio-political context. It challenges the notion of depression as a purely individual condition and encourages a more holistic understanding that recognizes the interconnectedness of individuals and the collective experiences that shape our understanding of health and well-being.

\n Weight: 430g\n
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9789463723121\n \n