The Power of Film in Self-Reflection

Dorsky, in his writing entitled "Devotional Cinema," meditates on the magical quality that film has in furthering our own emotional development. He states that film has the ability to transport us and through this, learn more about ourselves and our existence, thus giving film as a medium its "devotional" aspect. In effect, Dorsky holds the medium in such high esteem for its ability to enlighten us about our own existence.

When Dorsky wrote about his experience after watching Rossellini's film A Voyage to Italy, it reminded me of a similar experience that I had following seeing a James Turrell piece. I went into the exhibition space alone, but after experiencing the color field art piece, I made friends with another girl that had also been in the space with me. The piece was a vessel for us experiencing a range of emotions, from anxiety and fear to peace and contemplation; the shared experience making us more "open," as Dorsky put it, to interact with each other. We ended up having coffee after and talking about our travels. Thus, the Turrell piece had the same effect that Rossellini's film had upon Dorsky.


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