‘Healing’ is an experimental film. It combines the form of transitional imagery and soft music, aimed as a medium used to help awaken one’s senses to human connection. Hart Ginsburg has created many of these short films, much similar to this one being reviewed. Today, we caught up with Hart Ginsburg with an interview on the short film, Healing.
UniversalCinema Magazine (UM): What inspired you to take the approach to combining psychotherapy and films together?
Hart Ginsburg (HG): As a therapist, working with immigrants and refugees taught me about humanity through their resilience and humility. In particular, observing them write poignant poetry and create vivid paintings of their countries of origin was profoundly moving. In a small way, I attempted to respond to these experiences by providing a nonverbal space for healing. Thereby, film became a way to open a therapeutic dialogue beyond the limitations of language.
Also, reflecting upon the films and writings of international filmmaker Trinh T. Min-ha’s concept of “speaking nearby” has been informative. By intentionally creating non-hierarchical relationships with those who occupy her films, Trinh opens humanistic spaces for films to unfold. Interestingly, this subtle yet powerful approach of “speaking nearby” can be likened to a client-centered therapeutic process. In this way, we can see parallels between therapy and filmmaking processes.
(UM): What kind of feedback have your patients given you, if any, that experienced watching this film?
(HG): So far, I haven’t shown Healing to our patients. However, recently at a university where I do some teaching, a couple of students commented that Healing resonated with them in terms of the barriers they faced when trying to access therapy services. They also spoke about the montage imagery of everyday people reflecting the idea of community as an integral component of the healing processes.
(UM): How did you select the images you used for the film?
(HG): Being inspired by urban photographers Harry Callahan and Bill Cunningham from the New York Times, I was hoping to capture everyday urban imagery within these uncertain times. Perhaps being a therapist makes me curious about those reflective moments, such as a quiet silhouette in the context of a busy street. Also, nature within the urban context is another area of interest, particularly the intersections of technology and nature.
(UM): What other resources do you provide in your Digital Tapestries organization?
(HG): We hope to become integrated into the fabric of our international communities by supporting healing events. Recently, we facilitated experiential workshops with art, music, and interactive dialogues. Digital Tapestries collaborates with artists, social justice activists, therapists, and educators to provide inclusive spaces in non-traditional ways. We also provide opportunities for participants to engage in responsive art activities to enhance self-awareness and community engagement.
(UM): How long have you been in filmmaking?
(HG): Several years, this includes working with other film and music collaborators. Digital Tapestries is a diverse collective of individuals, who each have distinctive artistic, cultural and gender identities as well as life perspectives.
(UM): What are your experiences with patients that have been affected during the pandemic?
(HG): During these times, I have witnessed both positive and negative effects, but more recently resiliency and acceptance. One patient who has older parents that refused to get the vaccine. Yet despite their opposing beliefs, his capacity to accept his parents and avoid becoming overly reactive or antagonistic is a timely reminder of resilience. In this way, while patients navigate the uncertain terrains of their lives, as therapists we have the opportunity to learn from them, allowing therapy to become a dynamic and multidimensional process.
(UM): Do you plan to make more of these types of videos?
(HG): Yes, we are aiming to complete a Healing trilogy that builds on these disparate existential themes of our times.
(UM): How long did it take to produce this film?
(HG): It probably took about 5-6 months to produce this film. However, the initial thought began some time ago during the beginning of the pandemic and needed time to marinate and percolate from the unconscious into something more tangible and edible.
(UM): Have these videos helped you as well?
(HG): Great question, yes they have but more related to the filmmaking processes. Being sensitive to the world and our political context, filmmaking provided a space to transform feelings of distress and disappointment into something empowering and hopefully useful. Also, working with a team of thoughtful individuals from various parts of the world helped me maintain a more positive and open mindset.
(UM): What other future projects do you have on the go?
(HG): Our team has been exploring different projects from meditations to more recently music videos that we hope can send some positive vibes back to the universe.
Saludos!