Going to the movies

My favourite film is Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather". A mafia epic from 1972. The film tells the story of the Italian Corleone family in New York. At its heart is the transformation of son Michael into the Don, the head of the family. It is about values, loyalty and the exercise of power through violence.

There is no film I have seen nearly as often as The Godfather. I obviously feel a strong connection to the film, its protagonists and the world in which it is set. The film resonates strongly with me and has remained almost unchanged over the years.

So what does it say about me that The Godfather is my favourite film?

In a nutshell: I identify with the story and the main character through the themes of loyalty, values and family. Consequently, I go along with them and sympathise with them. At the same time, I discover my "Jungian shadow" in the tension between authority, power and violence.

Good films and stories get "under your skin"; they reach us on a deeper level and we connect with them. They resonate within us with our own issues and are therefore a mirror in which we can recognise ourselves, our values and attitudes, but also our shadows and abysses. It is therefore worthwhile to reflect on which stories and films remain strongly in our memory and are linked to our emotions.

And what do your favourite films say about you?

I have developed a small workshop exercise based on this question. It provides an easily accessible way to reflect on one's own personality and encourages the discovery of one's own development opportunities, enabling young and old alike to engage in a flow of thoughts and exchange ideas.