When therapy and medication offer no relief for severe depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) — better known as electroshock therapy — can provide hope. Mie and Tine have been struggling with depression for years. Now, they are placing their hopes on ECT. How do they experience the treatment? Do they gradually regain their former selves? And how do they cope with the lingering haze that remains after an ECT session?
Lize Cuveele (1997) graduated from the Royal Institute of Theater, Cinema and Sound (RITCS) in Brussels. Throughout her body of work, which includes a number of atmospheric documentary films, she focuses on the emotional world of her characters and examines socially relevant topics such as abortion, racism, and mental illness.
The human psyche has always fascinated me and was a major inspiration for me to become a (documentary) filmmaker. When this topic came my way during DOCVILLE's Science Pitch, I was immediately committed to contributing to a more nuanced understanding of ECT. Many people are familiar with electroconvulsive therapy mainly from its historical use in psychiatry, but this image urgently needs to be revised.
People struggling with severe depression—and their loved ones—are often reluctant to undergo this treatment. This is understandable, given the stigma surrounding ECT and the possible side effects that can occur. At the same time, for some, this therapy can make the difference in overcoming their depression. I therefore felt the urgency to make an intimate film about an intense treatment that is still too often overshadowed by controversy and taboo.
The brain is extremely complex and, as a result, the human mind still holds many mysteries for science. With this film, I hope that uncertainty and fear surrounding ECT will give way to understanding and hope. The courageous struggle of people with depression has deeply moved and inspired me. I consider the trust that Mie and Tine placed in me to portray their personal stories as a powerful signal that this film is necessary.
A film by Lize Cuveele
Cinematography - Kobe Fleerackers
Sound recording - Luc Cuveele
Editing - Louise Butter
Grading - Chiara Pontuali
Animation & titles - Annelies Vaes
Sound edit - Gillis Van Der Wee
Sound mix - Jurriaan Van Dijck
Original music Antynomy
Poster Kasper Bogaert
Production - Nina Landau, Nina Payrhuber & Mark Daems
Docville, Scienceville, 2026
Original title: Wie ben ik, als ik ontwaak?
Duration: 27'
In co-production with Docville & VRT
With the support of Universiteit Antwerpen, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum Duffel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Work, Economy, Science, Innovation and Social Economy (WEWIS), Pascal Decroos Fund, Sabam and the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian Federal Government through Flanders Tax Shelter
Language: Dutch
Subtitles: Dutch & English