Gregory Foltynowicz’s The Art of Healing Shows the Reality of Grief

By Grace Madover

The Art of Healing is a short silent film that aims to effectively depict the stages of grief and healing. The story is about a father grieving the loss of his daughter. The two enjoyed painting together and had a passion for art. Throughout the film, the father attempts to paint again without his daughter. There is a transformation in the father where at first he is hesitant to paint, then he becomes very angry and aggressively throws the paint. By the end of the film, the father is able to find the joy of creating again.

I found that Foltynowicz’s decision to create a silent film made the visual message all the more powerful. We can’t hear what the father is saying, but we can understand his feelings by seeing his actions alone. In just over 8 minutes, this film encapsulates the stages of grief that one goes through after the loss of a loved one. This film is important for everyone to watch in order to understand there are many emotions one feels when going through the journey of grief, but that we are not alone.

I rate this short film 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Grace Madover is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is majoring in Communications and minoring in Leadership. She is a Communications Intern at CMRubinWorld working with our website and social media accounts. Besides film and writing, her interests include reading, cycling, and baking.

Author: C. M. Rubin

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