FILM AND TRAUMA

Dogville in Brechtville

Despite the attempts by Jean-Luc Godard in the 1960s to materialize Brecht’s ideas on epic theatre and the V-effect in film, the film that finally achieved that in the early 21st century is definitely Lars von Trier’s Dogville (2003). Although seemingly a postmodernist product, by way of the methods (literally by way of making strange, ostranenie) it uses to point to the fact that ethic problems do not always need to be presented through narration, or rather contents, but that this can be done through the method of presentation itself, Dogville puts us in the middle of ethic dilemmas on the issue of a victim, sacrificing and forgiveness. The text seeks to approach this dilemmas and issues, or rather possible solutions to them, through a Lacanian prism. Furthermore, Dogville is interpreted as Brechtvilleof a sort, or rather Von Trier’s political parable supported by Brecht’s dramas, whereas Grace is perceived as a sacrificial lamb, the pharmakos.

Mario Vrbančić