The Wall (2011 film)

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The Wall
Directed bySophie Robert
Release date
8 September 2011
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

The Wall is a documentary film made in 2011 by Sophie Robert about autism and psychoanalysis, which became the subject of a court case in France.[1] The alternative full name of the film is The Wall or psychoanalysis put to the test on autism.

The film considers the question of whether psychoanalysis is a suitable treatment for autism. The film argues that while the rest of the world considers autism as a neurological disorder caused by anomalies in a specific area of the brain, in France concepts of the condition remain dominated by psychoanalysis, which sees autism as a form of psychosis caused by difficulties in subjective relationships and ultimately caused by the actions of the mother. The film relies on extensive interviews with 11 French psychoanalysts in order to tease out the details of their beliefs, which the film contrasts with the progress made by children who follow other, behavioural, approaches to improving autistic children's ability to communicate. The film argues that the psychoanalytic approach to autism is based on ignorance and misogyny and leads to harmful consequences for autistic children who fall under the care of psychoanalysts. The film ends with Robert asking the psychoanalysts what an autistic child can realistically expect to gain from a psychoanalytic therapy; the psychoanalysts interviewed are shown not to be able to answer this question coherently.

Three of the psychoanalysts interviewed in the film sued Ms Robert. The three plaintiffs (Eric Laurent, Esthela Solano, and Alexandre Stevens)[2][3][4] expressed the view that they hold intellectual property rights to the footage filmed by Ms Roberts and that she edited it without their consent and thus distorted their comments.[5]

The court (Lille Regional Court) found against Robert[6] thus banning the film.[7]

However this ban was overturned by a court of appeal in 2014.[8] The appeal court found that while Robert may have misled the psychoanalysts as to the editorial line her film would take, she had not materially misrepresented their views in her editing of the footage.[9] As of 2016 the film is available for viewing online.

References

  1. ^ Jolly, David; Novak, Stephanie (19 January 2012). "A French Film Takes Issue With the Psychoanalytic Approach to Autism". The New York Times.
  2. ^ http://cdn.soutenonslemur.org/2011/2011-10-28-LeMur-Requete-a-fin-d-assigner-a-jour-fixe.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "Chantal Sicile-Kira: French Psychoanalysts Take Legal Action to Ban Film 'The Wall' About Autism". Huffingtonpost.com. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  4. ^ Sicile, Chantal (7 December 2011). "Judge to Hear Request to Ban Film About Autism". Psychology Today. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. ^ "The Wall: History: November 2011: An astounding court summons and the support builds up | Support The Wall – Le Mur". Supportthewall.org. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Official: End of the road for soutenonslemur.org and changes for supportthewall.org | Support The Wall – Le Mur". Supportthewall.org. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Autism Documentary – The Wall – Banned by French Courts For Exposing Anti-Scientific Quackery". Bock The Robber. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Le documentaire Le Mur, la psychanalyse à l'épreuve de l'autisme pourra être diffusé". 17 January 2014.
  9. ^ "" le Mur, la psychanalyse à l'épreuve de l'autisme " à nouveau libre de diffusion". Le Monde. 16 January 2014.


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