Releasing Lori: Poetry on Self-Mutilation

Sorted under film on March 29, 2008

Self mutilation is often not given the serious attention it demands; it is often chalked up to teenage angst or a person seeking attention, which is far from the truth.

Self mutilation has become a major public health concern and affects a large variety of people including men and women ranging from teenagers to adults; although about 75% of self mutilators are girls and women. It is estimated that 0.75% of the general American population practices self-mutilation.

There are many forms of self mutilation, such as cutting, burning, hitting, bruising, biting, pulling or picking at skin and pulling one’s own hair. There are many causes of self-mutilation, such as the result of strong negative emotions and feeling the need for the outside to represent the inside of one’s self as well as technique for triggering the body’s biochemical responses to pain.

Those who self-mutilate often find comfort in the arts, such as writing poetry in order to rid themselves of their emotions and what drives them to commit such acts to themselves.

Here is another short film by filmmaker Dany Nieves, whom I’ve featured on this website once before with Alison’s Cycle.

Releasing Lori is another short film from Nieves with poetry by Alison Floersch, read by Lori Beaty. It speaks about the painful truths revolving around those who self mutilate and the emotions behind it. It is a must-see film for those who currently or have self-mutilated in the past as well as for anyone who has been affected by it or just want to know more about this public health crisis.



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