Why Do We Like Sad Movies?

Why do we love sad movies? I’m no psychologist, but may I suggest that art helps us grieve. It helps us cope by showing us others grieve, maybe in a similar way as we have.

And they lived to write a screenplay about it. Or a book. Or paint on canvass. How? We see if portrayed on film and believe yes, we will survive, too.

While the connection between loss and art is not an original observation, I believe it’s worthy to remind ourselves that we sometimes leave a doorway to our emotions untapped.

Art may open that doorway, perhaps leading simply to expression of grief. Or we may get revelations about ourselves, our loved ones and our loss.

Our grief also may be expressed through art. “Out of Grief Comes Art” is the slogan of the nonprofit organization Grief Dialogues, founded by Elizabeth Coplan. As a contributor to Grief Dialogues: The Book, I was among authors who expressed their loss through the art of writing. As people who’ve suffered loss write, act, paint, or express themselves in other artistic ways, they connect with people like themselves, others in grief who need to know they aren’t alone.

AK Lander, a freelance writer who I’m connected with via Twitter, wrote an article last week entitled How Grief and Loss Are Handled On Screen. She asked nine bloggers, including me, what film resonated with us in regard to this topic. My thoughts immediately went to a movie I watched more than a year ago on DVD. I mentioned that experience in an article entitled Every Ending Is a New Beginning. Lander did a great job on presenting the topic. Check it out.

What art is helping or has helped you through your grief? What film or book or work of art resonates with you and why? At what point in your grief journey did you seek to view or read these works? Was it within a few weeks of your loss, several months, or a year later? How did it help you?

I know that’s a lot of questions. I’d love if you picked out a couple and shared with this community. What helped you cope or understand grief better may help us.

Thanks!

 

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