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Lucien Freud, the grandson of Sigmund Freud, was arguably the foremost portrait artist of the 20th century. He applied psychoanalytic theory to his work, as he was known to have regular, extensive meetings with his subjects, getting to know them on a psychological level. Once he understood them, he could reveal their deep inner truths, as their inner realities became intertwined with his artistic rendering of their outer appearances. Many of his portraits were less than flattering, whereas in other cases, one's inner beauty would shine through and be expressed in the Freud's unique style. So too, in the cinema, when the filmmaker creates a documentary of someone's life, the same opportunity presents itself. In this award winning documentary about Vamik Volkan, we are treated to such a vivid portrait, of an extraordinary man of great depth and outstanding personal qualities.
Created by the very talented Molly Castelloe, it is a fascinating and sophisticated study of a boy who grew up in British controlled Cyprus, an island which degenerated into an ethnically divided and violent place. His homeland then became a psychological crucible for his life's work. Although he was safely ensconced in the United States at this point, he felt the pain of war. He describes his horror, disbelief, and guilt over seeing news footage on TV of his own mother and sister fleeing for their lives. His family, along with the other Turks, were forced to live in walled off ghetto-like conditions for years.
Volkan also recounts the senseless murder of his roommate from medical school, a young man with great promise who was shot seven times by a Greek terrorist. This tragic loss affected him deeply. We are given enough of a glimpse of his life and his emotions to begin to understand his interests and his motivation. We then see how his life intersected with major world events and how he helped shape them for the better. We see his genuine warmth, his wit, his wisdom, and his great intellect. We