Educational Media Reviews Online

Between the Lines is an experimental documentary about female self mutilation. Women talk candidly about why they feel they have to hurt themselves in this award winning program. This is a difficult film to watch because actual scars from self mutilation are shown.

This collection of interviews, with women who cut themselves, covers a wide variety of viewpoints. These unfortunate women negotiate a fine line between self-destructive behavior and self-preserving coping mechanisms. Their opinions range from ‘cutting’ being a self-destructive form of masochism, to scarification as an ethnic art form, and even as a spiritual experience. One notable factor is that 98% of these women have been sexually abused or are victims of incest.

Between the Lines has many confusing elements. Speakers are frequently not shown or identified in the film. Instead, we often see a succession of impressionistic (frequently water) images that accompany the testimonials. Another editing technique was the use of written marquees that race across the screen for dramatic effect. These were sometimes difficult to read. Distracting as well are the extreme close ups of written dictionary definitions that sometimes seemed slightly out of focus.

The documentary is filmed in black and white for artistic effect. The picture quality is sharp and well defined. The film is also a very attractive length (21 minutes). Sound quality is clear. Editing and picture transitions were interesting, however, the film would benefit from better organization. It seemed far too amorphous and episodic. Perhaps, a narrator could have pulled all of the diverse viewpoints together in a more coherent manner.

Still, despite my reservations, I would recommend purchase of Between the Lines because of the personal insights of the women themselves. When you consider the sense of isolation these poor women must feel, the film does a great service helping them air their feelings. Other women with the same illness would benefit from hearing their confessions.

In conclusion, this video would be particularly useful for psychologists and therapists helping women who suffer from this complex psychological problem. Recommended for medical libraries and mental health collections.