The Aesthetic Dimension of Mental Illness

Films can impressively shape the everyday image of mental disorders (mental illness) and develop complex forms of expression for the representation of mental disorders that go beyond the scientific descriptions (such as the ICD-10 or DSM). In addition, they reflect scientific characterizations of mental disorders and open up new, everyday-based insights for the health sciences. Nevertheless, the influence of film on the understanding and definition of mental disorders has not yet been studied in film studies. Based on this research gap, the dissertation works out the specific achievements of film in communicating mental disorders and critically examines a selected corpus of contemporary auteur films with regard to the forms in which knowledge about mental disorders is negotiated and communicated.