On the other side of the sun is an extremely moving film that deals with the problem of psychological crises. It presents three phases of the course of the disease: from the very first symptoms through the development of the disease to the moment of recovery. The film's script was inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy: the path to recovery leads from the "hell" of illness to the "purgatory" of healing.
The film is directed by Maciej Sikorski , the founder and director of EXIT Theater, which employs artists with various disabilities. The director was trained to work on psychological problems in the "Take care of your head!" was inspired by the exhibition, which was organized in a psychiatric hospital jointly by the patients, their family members and the hospital staff. Authenticity was important to the creators, which is why in the film people with mental problems speak (more than once in the form of poems) from the other side of the sun. They talk about their illness, the treatment and the difficult process of their recovery. The film is a kind of artistic interpretation of their harrowing experiences.
At the invitation of Maciej Sikorski, in addition to the members of the EXIT Theater, the co-creators of the exhibition "Take care of your head", as well as well-known Polish artists such as Rafał Siwek , the world-famous opera singer, and Michał Koterski , the renowned actor and director, played a role in the film.
The film On the other side of the sun was realized as part of a wider project, the aim of which is to draw attention to the special group of injured people who are going through a mental crisis. This can be particularly relevant in the context of today's social problems, such as the consequences of the pandemic or the trauma of war. In the film, we get an insight into the relationship between former patients of psychiatric hospitals and their recovery assistants (persons who themselves have gone through crises of psychological origin and are able to support those affected on their recovery journey based on their own experiences).
The shocking work depicts not only the struggle against the symptoms of the disease, but also stigmatization as a social phenomenon. For people with disabilities, it often seems impossible to face challenges without the support of others.
The film On the Other Side of the Sun invites the viewer into the world of people affected by mental illness and disorder, which is undoubtedly not an easy journey. The patient has to make a harrowing journey full of intense emotions. The healing process is individual in every case, and getting through the hell of the disease to recovery is unfortunately not given to everyone.
The film screening is supported by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the EXIT Theatre, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Get a Mac for Life Foundation, and the Polish Institute.
Date: June 9, 2022 (Thursday), 6 p.m
Location: Premier Kultcafé – 1085 Budapest, Üllői út 2-4.
Entrance is free. The film is shown with Hungarian subtitles.
Source and image: Polish Institute
