Int. You

The introduction to this article reads like a script: interior, you. Cinema has forever been a pinnacle in our lives. We get excited by the previews we see full of the people we love; we imagine ourselves within the cinematic universe. We gush about what we liked and rant about what we hated when we speak to friends, when we’re at dinner, when we type reviews. We connect with characters and spend time with them. We compile lists of our favorite scenes and complete films, spend hours listening to cinematic soundtracks that build love stories, and replicate horror.

Cinema is very much an interior concept. It deals with our personal connection to what’s happening on screen. Directors have a vision of what they want their audience to experience, feel, think and leave with. They manipulate lighting, choose words, and select actors in order to achieve a certain reaction or successfully mirror situations in real life. Mental health has always had its heart poked and prodded in the artistic world, whether that’s art, literature, or other forms of visual media. It’s something that many deal with in their everyday lives, followed by ghosts and demons that they struggle to get away from. It’s real and vivid, a thing of sharp pain that can even be passed on from family.

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Perfection is the climax to the point where you shatter by Zöe Lucas

The concept of being perfect is one that is built off of archetypes and observations of human beings. Josi Brooks, the IB Language and Literature teacher, spoke on its origins in film and literature, saying “Perfectionism in film or literature is typically based on the concept of archetypes and common storylines Therefore, our brains are programmed to expect a level of perfection. Obviously, this archetypal [love] story isn’t quite realistic, but the level of “perfectionism” between girl and guy is appealing to human brains.”

Perfectionism is commonly shown through the character trope of the obsessed artist, which is explained as follows by journalist Vittora Di Meo in her article “Obsessed artist reveals a realistic side to simple movie trope” written for The Standard. Di Meo writes:

“Achieving success is any person’s dream, yet few reach these aspirations. Success could be achieving their set goals, winning an award or getting praise for their work. Too often, artistic prodigies push themselves past their limits, sacrificing their wellbeing. Although many fictional characters assume the role of the obsessed artist on screen, this characteristic is a prevalent symptom in real artists and can be condensed into three words: obsessed artist trope.

Though the characters who exemplify the obsessed artist trope are often romanticized (This is usually done through edits on social media, moodboards to capture the visuals of the film, etc.) many find a connection with them. They exemplify the mental and sometimes physical consequences of perfectionism and how it destroys what they love the most. “Perfectionism is in every aspect of my life, from my academic performance to my relationship with my family,” says senior Camila Cazon.

LaBoca

One of the most popular models of internalized perfectionism is Nina Sayers, the prima ballerina star of the critically acclaimed film Black Swan

(Disclaimer: Black Swan is rated R and deals with sensitive content such as derealization and psychosis. There are also moments of slight gore.

Proceed with caution.) Nina works her hardest to become the perfect lead for Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake: Odette. She exemplifies the idea of perfection and how it is different from person to person.

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Many viewers, mainly female, tend to latch on Nina and her idea of violent perfectionism for a variety of reasons. Eric Hokanson, TV and Media teacher, articulated why we tend to see ourselves inside of these characters and what makes for such a strong connection:

“We relate to these characters because they are given traits that ‘resemble’ us. They are teenagers, parents, or employees. You never see them make movies about CEOs. That way, when we see these characters succeed, it plants a seed in us that we can too. And in some ways, it’s almost irresponsible. They create characters that look like us, talk like us and maybe even have lives like us but we know they’ll never fail. (continued on next page)