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Yi-Chun Wu, National Chengchi University, TaiwanAbstract
This study reconsiders the concept of cinematherapy, arguing that it should not be simplified as a clinical psychological technique. Instead, it is reframed as a philosophical and experiential form of film engagement rooted in existential phenomenology. Unlike conventional models that rely on therapist-led interpretation and standardized emotional responses, this research emphasizes how viewers generate meaning through personal, embodied encounters with film. By drawing on Merleau-Ponty’s theory of embodiment and Heidegger’s notion of being-in-the-world, the paper proposes a three-part experiential framework: image guidance, which initiates symbolic identification and imaginative immersion; bodily resonance, which evokes sensory awareness and affective responses; and narrative reflection, which enables the viewer to reconfigure their interpretive frame and deepen their self-understanding. The paper analyzes Incantation (2022), a contemporary Taiwanese horror film that combines mockumentary style, occult rituals, and the threat of invisible curses. Through subjective camerawork, chaotic bodily expressions, and interactive narrative elements, the film provokes a visceral response to themes of belief, guilt, and existential instability. Rather than offering symbolic resolution or therapeutic release, the horror aesthetic functions as a destabilizing space where viewers confront fractured subjectivity and existential anxiety. This study contributes to the theoretical expansion of cinematherapy by presenting it as a dynamic process of embodied meaning-making. It invites interdisciplinary dialogue across film theory, media philosophy, and affect studies, and repositions the viewer as an active participant in their own emotional and existential interpretation of cinema.
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Conference: MediAsia2025Stream: Film Criticism and Theory
This paper is part of the MediAsia2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Wu Y. (2026) How Is Cinematherapy Possible? An Existential-Phenomenological Perspective ISSN: 2186-5906 – The Asian Conference on Media, Communication & Film 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 147-160) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2025.12
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2025.12
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