The Wisdom of Trauma

This film is brutally honest while at the same time being hopeful and tender about human potential- honest and tender in the most eloquent way possible. I am not exaggerating when I say that I don't believe that this film could have delivered its message any more impactfully, at least for me.

Perhaps the film is excessively focused on Gabor Mate's work, which might impart a cheesy glamorized halo around him in the eyes of some viewers, but at the same time, I was able to follow and appreciate the contributions and insights of other professionals and survivors throughout the film. For his part, I considered Mate a kind of cinematic anchor, a unifying thread through the work and experiences of others, which contributed to an overall sense of structure and cohesiveness within the film.

This documentary is truly a film from the heart- in my mind (and heart), a work of art 😊✌🏼