The story of a female doctor who sought to save psychiatric patients through art and music

"Nise: The Heart of Madness" is a story that realistically depicts the achievements of a real-life female psychiatrist, set in a mental hospital on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the 1940s.

Director Roberto Berliner and producer Rodrigo Teixeira, long-time collaborators who have produced numerous documentaries, spent 13 years on "Nise: The Heart of Madness," and documentary-style depictions can be seen throughout the film.

This was an era when ice picks were used as therapeutic tools, and electroshock therapy was administered to psychiatric patients. Shocked by the scenes that were taken for granted by her male colleagues, Dr. Nise challenged these violent treatment methods. As a result, Nise was reassigned to the underfunded occupational therapy department run by nurses. There, Nise instructed the nurses, "Call the patients 'clients.' First, listen to them and observe them carefully." She patiently interacted with patients who exhibited strange behaviors or avoided eye contact. Gradually, the nurses began to change their perspective and strive to understand the patients.



Nise, who loves literature, music, and art. One day, at the suggestion of a colleague who was also an art enthusiast, she decided to open an atelier where patients could freely draw and engage in creative activities. Initially, patients who struggled even to put brush to a blank canvas began to paint their own works, encouraged by Nise and the nurses. Art critics highly praised their works, which resembled mandala patterns, as "expressions without fear of the unconscious," and lauded Nise's therapeutic approach.

In our daily lives, we rarely encounter individuals suffering from schizophrenia, considered the most severe mental illness. In that sense, watching this film provided an opportunity to reflect anew on the relationship between humans, the mind, and psychology. Those who suffer from mental illness, or have suffered. The events or incidents that trigger it could happen to anyone. While the degree of damage may vary depending on individual sensitivity, the outcome also changes depending on when it occurs.

Nise confronts psychiatric patients directly, seeking to understand them and connect with them, no matter how violent or aggressive their behavior. Her motherly strength and unwavering love become the essence of this film, casting a faint light on the desolate hospital and the vacant expressions of the patients.

"I wanted them to live richer lives, even if just a little, through socially meaningful activities" (Nise)

Just as Nise's courageous efforts and love seemed to be changing the patients' behavior and expressions, a colleague's thoughtless interference sent the treatment back to square one. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, leaving no room to breathe. What remains are a sliver of hope and a profound sense of mission. First and foremost, I hope that watching this film will make us aware of even a slightly different world.





Nise: The Heart of Madness
Opening December 17, 2016, at Eurospace and other theaters nationwide.
Directed and Written by Roberto Berliner
Produced by Rodrigo Teixeira
Starring Gloria Pires, Simone Mazzer, Julio Adrião, and others
2015 / Brazil / 109 min / Portuguese / English Title: Nise – The Heart of Madness
http://maru-movie.com/nise