Marwencol
Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any new movies in the past week (I’m a college student, I don’t have that much free time!), so you’ll have to bear with me. However, I have seen a great documentary recently that I definitely think all of you should know about. I had to watch 2010 SXSW Film Festival Competition Award Winner Marwencol for a class, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it has a very unusual premise, it’s definitely a film for all to see.
Jeff Malmberg’s Marwencol tells the story of Mark Hogancamp, a man who suffered massive brain damage after a vicious attack outside of a bar. Mark has no recollection of his tumultuous life before the attack and is unable to pay for his medical bills, which includes therapy sessions. He decides to build the doll-figure town of Marwencol in his backyard, and creates “alter-egos” who live there. The town of Marwencol ultimately serves as a therapeutic device for Mark, who finds Marwencol to be his safe haven in the dangerous world around him. Throughout the film, the audience notices the parallels between Marwencol’s story and Mark’s real life – he’s using his imagination as a tool to get past his traumatic experience in an extremely creative way.
Mark lives vicariously through his doll-figures to find out “who he is” as a person after the attack, and ultimately tries to find his identity through his “alter-ego.” He no longer wants to be the obnoxious drunk that he was before the attack, and he takes advantage of the second chance that he’s been given. We want Mark to succeed in finding a new identity and in becoming a functional member of society. We recognize that he’s struggling to find his place in society, whether it is in his hometown of Kingston, NY or in the art world once his work begins to get recognized.
What’s striking to me is just how much Marwencol reflects Mark’s real life. Marwencol eerily imitates his struggles and life in the real world. I understand that it’s very difficult for people to confront traumatic experiences, and I was captivated by Mark’s use of Marwencol as a therapeutic device. There are several events that take place in Marwencol that seemed to directly reflect his past experiences (there’s one scene in particular at the end of the film that I don’t want to ruin for all of you, but it is extremely intense).
The film is wonderfully made as the audience sympathizes with Mark. He learns about himself through the parallel universe of Marwencol and takes advantage of the second chance given to him. Marwencol is definitely a film for all to see.
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