Synopsis:
Manifestation is an semi-autobiographical art-house short film about a mentally ill person who takes revenge on society because he feels neglected by his family, the social system, the community around him, and Society in general. He was mentally abused as a kid and adult by a psychopathic father. The film draws parallels to the environmental issues of the present and to the white supremacy that created our capitalist society that we live in today. It's a tale of a social outcast who suffered weltschmerz and lived a life of loneliness, alienation and isolation in a society that is emotionally desolated. During the 17-minute film, the viewer experiences a nihilistic view of the world from the social outcast's point of view.
Review by Victoria Angelique:
Mental health is rarely depicted from inside the head of the individual suffering. MANIFESTATION gets into the head of the main character through a voice over and symbolism to show how this man has gotten to his breaking point. It begins with a text giving an analysis of the tortured soul by giving necessary background information that most films never give for complex characters.
Symbolism is quite strong throughout this short film. The use of a broken mirror to symbolize a fractured soul is quite strong. The affirmations in the man's head are trying to make him feel like he is worth more than voices from his past echo within his brain. The idea that the masks that individuals wear prohibits them from seeing the pain of others, making everyone seem the same. Humanity is ignored, destroying the psyche of those who would like just one person to acknowledge their pain rather than utter harsh judgements.
The voice over portrays the invisible scars warring inside the man's head. It's reminiscent of the inner voice that everyone has at some point that people fight to silence the negative thoughts. Eventually for the abused and mentally ill, the negative thoughts often wins as the past begins to haunt the present. The inner conflict can break a soul to do the unthinkable in desperation and anger when the acknowledgement from one person could have stopped a tragedy.
This film by filmmaker Danny Germansen is a poignant reminder of what could make some commit mass murder. Rarely is a killer seen as a sympathetic character. This is a stark reminder of how brutal the fight against mental illness can really be when proper help cannot be attained.
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