A note on forgiveness: film as case history

Area of Science:

• Psychoanalytic theory
• Film studies
• Psychology of forgiveness

Background:

• The French-Moroccan film "Carved by the Wind" (2024) by Layla Triqui provides a narrative for exploring psychoanalytic concepts.
• The film's storyline centrally features the theme of forgiveness, offering a unique non-clinical context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review "Carved by the Wind" using a case history approach.
• To examine classical and contemporary psychoanalytic theories of forgiveness.
• To apply Carla Mucci's contemporary psychoanalytic model of forgiveness to the film's protagonist.

Main Methods:

• Film review and analysis.
• Application of a psychoanalytic model of forgiveness (Mucci).
• Case study approach using a fictional character.

Main Results:

• The film's protagonist grapples with intense guilt related to infanticide.
• Carla Mucci's model defines forgiveness as an exchange involving witnessing, emotional expression, and empathy.
• The application demonstrates forgiveness as a process of healing.

Conclusions:

• Psychoanalytic theories of forgiveness can be effectively explored through cinematic case studies.
• Carla Mucci's contemporary model offers insights into the dynamics of forgiveness.
• Applying psychoanalytic models to film can illuminate pathways to healing in everyday life.