IDFA x De Balie: The Sessions

A young student undergoes trauma therapy for an act of sexual violence committed by someone she trusted. She lives with the consequences of this trauma every day, while her rapist appears to get away with what he has done.

A young student undergoing trauma therapy recounts how she was raped by someone she trusted. The camera focuses on the therapist’s face, and we never see the anonymous speaker. The Sessions unfolds almost entirely in this space, where the young woman speaks openly about the impact of the rape. Outside the therapy room she doesn’t dare speak to anyone else about it—only her boyfriend knows what happened. Throughout this period, her rapist is being questioned by the police. We don’t see these interrogations taking place, but we do hear about them in phone calls between the young woman and the court. They can tell her very little, and the police also prove to be of little help to her. While she suffers every day from what was done to her, it looks like he’s going to get away with it. Her conversations with the therapist and the legal system provide insight into the long and difficult healing process that follows sexual violence.

De Balie has selected six of the best films featured at IDFA. Documentaries on a wide range of subjects, taking you from the intimacy of the therapy room to the microscopic world of fungi. Despite their diversity, these films share a common thread: they are auteur-driven works, created with a distinct artistic vision. Films that use the camera as a tool of expression, rather than mere registration. Join us after each screening for a conversation hosted by De Balie, with filmmakers and notable guests.