Shine: still a glittering moment, or now a little bit tarnished?

The representation of mental illness in the cinema has a long and varied history. Each film emerges from a cultural context and understanding of psychopathology and some landmark films have made a profound impact on the way in which psychiatric disorders are regarded by the general public. One prime example is Shine, produced in 1996 and based on the life of David Helfgott, a child musical prodigy who later developed a severe mental illness. However, although the film garnered numerous awards and public acclaim, its premises have been questioned and the explanatory model of mental illness that it promotes has been criticized. This paper examines the cultural forces that shape cinematic representations and the example of Shine in particular.