The concept of mental disorder in Greek cinema

Mental patients in Greek society have never been considered as 'sacred', but on the contrary as handicapped, and cinema largely reflects these concepts. A total of 30 films that appeared to deal with mental disorder in a direct or indirect way have been reviewed. The identification of each mental disorder was made according to DSM-IV criteria. Five of these cases were presented as having a factitious disorder, seven were psychotic and two had dissociative (hysterical) disorders. The remaining eight cases related to personality disorder or character deviance. In two cases diagnosis was impossible. The image of mental disorder is consistent with psychiatric nosology, and disorders with 'dramatic' or 'impressive' manifestation of symptomatology are chosen. No real solutions, proposals or ideology on mental illness emerge.