A Disease Like a Poem at the Cinema: Documentary Film about Family and Mental Illness
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A Disease Like a Poem: Cinema as an intense encounter with illness, art, and family
On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the cinema in Bielefeld will become the site of a special cinematic encounter. The documentary A Disease Like a Poem by Jelena Ilić combines personal memory, psychological research, and artistic imagery. The director will be present for the screening in Bielefeld; the evening will be moderated by Bielefeld filmmaker Beate Middeke.
Between Closeness, Injury, and Responsibility
At the center is the relationship between a daughter and her father, who spends many years in forensic psychiatry after a drug-induced psychosis. Ilić views him both as a person, as a family member, and as an artist. The film does not shy away from violence and overwhelming challenges, rather it presents them alongside a complex relationship shaped by love, boundaries, and responsibility.
When Inner Worlds Become Images
The aesthetic experience of the film arises from the interplay of documentary conversations, historical photographs, video recordings, and the father's artistic works. Painting, sculpture, and staged self-portraits become traces of a psychological inner world. Particularly striking is the joint comic book by father and daughter, whose pages both alternate in designing. Drawing and animation translate experiences that escape purely verbal descriptions.
A Visual Language for Mental Illness
Jelena Ilić develops a sensitive filmic form that bridges documentary, animation, and visual essay. The camera navigates through memory spaces, family archives, and the artistic testimonies of the father. This results in a multifaceted portrait of mental illness, social exclusion, and the difficult question of how closeness remains possible after injuries.
Award-Winning Documentary Cinema with Discussion
A Disease Like a Poem has received multiple audience awards, including at the Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival and the International Women’s Film Festival Dortmund+Cologne. The Bielefeld event enhances the film screening with the personal presence of the director and a moderated discussion. Thus, cinema becomes a space for examining the work, cultural education, and an open exchange about art, illness, and family roles.
Conclusion: An Art Experience on the Big Screen
Audiences can expect a touching and formally independent documentary full of warmth, humor, and visual power. The exhibition atmosphere of a gallery gives way to the concentrated darkness of the cinema hall, where photographs, painting, sculpture, and animation create a new impact. Anyone interested in contemporary documentary cinema, artistic self-testimonies, and the aesthetic experience of personal stories should experience this special evening in the cinema live.
