Lea

Title: Lea

Villanueva, K.M. (2016). Lea, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication

Abstract:

Lea is a 21 year-old girl who suffers from depression but is in denial that she has to be treated for it. One night she hits an animal with her car and her depression gradually gets worse as she starts mixing imagination with reality. Lea starts seeing blood wherever she goes and she finally snaps when she has a nightmare where she is alone, and there’s blood everywhere: around her, and on her body. In the end, she finally decides to take the medication she needs.

The film focuses on Lea’s depression and how it has distorted her thoughts. This is illustrated by the cognitive theory of depression by Dr. Aaron Beck, which states that depression creates distorted thoughts that cause a person to perceive a situation as worse than what it actually is and also make it easier to infer negative information from certain scenarios. The film’s focus on depression will be further represented by the theory of structuralism, specifically its concept that the meaning of each sign derives from its relationship to other signs in the same system. The film’s shots and sequences arranged in the way that they are, create relationships that will emphasize Lea’s view of herself and the world around her.

Key Words: Medication, Depression, Denial

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