Psychoanalytic Film Club – Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

Anna Hints’s Smoke Sauna Sisterhood is a mesmerising and profoundly intimate exploration of trauma, somatic processing, and the maternal holding environment. The documentary invites us into the enclosed, sacred space of a traditional Estonian smoke sauna, where a group of women gather to share their most guarded vulnerabilities—from complex relationships with their mothers to the trauma of sexual violence. The film beautifully captures the function of the sauna as a psychological container, allowing raw, unspeakable pain to be safely held, metabolised, and quite literally sweated out.

The Discussion

Following the screening, our panel of psychoanalysts will explore the psychodynamic themes of containment and the transformative power of Bionian group dynamics. We will consider how the women utilise deep, receptive listening to act as a therapeutic container for one another, absorbing and digesting the projected trauma of the group. The discussion will also examine the physical environment of the sauna as a womb-like, primitive space that facilitates regression in the service of healing and emotional integration.

This event is specifically designed to bridge the gap between seasoned clinical practice and the fresh perspectives of medical students and early-career professionals. By examining the clinical implications of shared trauma and somatic holding through cinema, we aim to demonstrate how psychoanalytic theory provides a vital framework for understanding the patient’s internal world. The discussion is open to all mental health professionals, from those with a passing interest in the field to experienced practitioners.

Schedule

17:00 – Arrival and Refreshments

18:00 – Screening

20:00 – Discussion