This study reconsiders the concept of cinematherapy, arguing that it should not be simplified as a clinical psychological technique. Instead, it is reframed as a philosophical and experiential form of film engagement rooted in existential phenomenology. Unlike conventional models that rely on therapist-led interpretation and standardized emotional responses, this research emphasizes how viewers generate meaning through personal, embodied encounters with film. By drawing on Merleau-Ponty’s theory of embodiment and Heidegger’s notion of being-in-the-world, the paper proposes a three-part experiential framework: image guidance, which initiates symbolic identification and imaginative immersion; bodily resonance, which evokes sensory awareness and affective responses; and narrative reflection, which enables the viewer to reconfigure their interpretive frame and deepen their self-understanding. The paper analyzes Incantation (2022), a contemporary Taiwanese horror film that combines mockumentary style, occult rituals, and the threat of invisible curses. Through subjective camerawork, chaotic bodily expressions, and interactive narrative elements, the film provokes a visceral response to themes of belief, guilt, and existential instability. Rather than offering symbolic resolution or therapeutic release, the horror aesthetic functions as a destabilizing space where viewers confront fractured subjectivity and existential anxiety. This study contributes to the theoretical expansion of cinematherapy by presenting it as a dynamic process of embodied meaning-making. It invites interdisciplinary dialogue across film theory, media philosophy, and affect studies, and repositions the viewer as an active participant in their own emotional and existential interpretation of cinema.

Authors:
Yi-chun Wu, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Wu Yi-Chun is a PhD candidate at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. His research explores psychoanalysis, horror cinema, national identity, and the intersection of religion and media.

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