The film Never Look Away, Werk ohne Autor, is a daring and magnificent work of art written and directed by the German film maker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarch. This German speaking film with English subtitles takes place in Berlin during the outbreak of World War 11. It is a story of both personal and a cultural trauma, war, love, and the capacity for creativity to facilitate profound healing and transformation. The inspiration behind Donnersmarch’s making of this film is his strong belief that “great art is deeply biographical.” It has been referenced that the world- renowned artist Gerhard Richter was a muse for Donnersmarch’s fascination in telling this “fictional” story.
Never Look Away offers us an entrée into the psychological pain and suffering of cultural and personal trauma during the Nazi era. Beneath this horrific historical tragedy, we can trace Jung’s ideas of the influence of archetypal dynamics, including Jung’s concept of the Self, the unconscious forces that exert influence over consciousness not only in times of extreme difficulty but as a universal aspect of our humanity. The theme of redemption is manifested in the finale of this film along with the particular role of creativity, specifically the qualities within the artistic character which help to facilitate healing and individuation, meaning Jung’s notion of the active libidinal life force in each of us to become who we are meant to be. Given the extreme turmoil and uncertainty of our current times, this film offers a moving Eros-infused mapping of the process of working with our dreams and our creative instincts to promote healing not only in ourselves but in the world around us, Jung’s Anima Mundi or World Soul. As Jungian analyst Erich Neumann stated in his book Art and the Creative Unconscious, “in his own suffering the creative man experiences the profound wounds of his collectivity and his time, he carries deep within him a regenerative force capable of bringing forth a cure not only for himself but also for community.” Please join me in dialogue with this film, it’s beautiful imagery, symbols, and themes which potentially offer us guidance towards healing and individuation during times of great suffering; personally, culturally, and collectively.
