GROUP: The Schopenhauer Effect
A Real Psychoanalyst and Eight Actors
At the center of the film is Dr. Elliot Zeisel, a Distinguished Fellow of AGPA, with more than 50 years of experience.
Dr. Zeisel intervened and reacted in real time as he would in his actual daily practice. His presence intentionally blurs the line between performance and reality, creating live tension where fiction feeds reality and reality feeds fiction.
Genre & Format
Psychological Drama
Feature Film
119 minutes
About
When newcomer Alexis joins a Manhattan therapy group and reveals he wants to write a TV series based on their sessions, it threatens the group’s balance and exposes everyone’s vulnerabilities.
Filmed in Real Time
Sessions were shot in 90-minute takes - the actual duration of a group session - with improvised dialogue based on scripted outlines. This immersive method allowed the cast to develop rare chemistry and to portray the raw intensity and rhythm of group with a unique tone and authenticity.
