Touched with Fire

   Touched with Fire is a 2015, American film directed by Paul Dalio and starring Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby. 

       The two main characters are poets and have mental illness. Marco (Luke) thinks that he is from another planet and all humans are going to die. He loves to watch the moon and names himself Luna (one from the moon). Carla (Katie) watches Sun with open eyes. They meet in a treatment facility and their chemistry increases each other’s mania. Their creativity increases manifolds’ when they are together. They draw stars and constellations and become very passionate about each other. 

      Their medical caretakers and parents do not approve of their relation and proximity. This leads to depression and both attempt suicide. Finally, they manage to run away and start living in the wild. They plan to have a baby, raise him in nature, and take their manic feelings to the highest levels. One day while driving in heightened mood, they get in a chase with the police. Marco takes the car in the river to escape in nature but both are caught. 

     This time they start a new life together in the society. Both agree to be on medications to keep their mania under control and raise a sane child. Marco starts working and Carla is very excited to have a baby. Both decorate the baby’s room with paintings of the sky, stars, constellations, bookshelf etc,.  Carla realizes that Marco has stopped taking medicines. She confronts him. He argues that medicines suppress his ability to experience his natural gifts of enhanced feelings. He thinks he is special as he has this ability to experience things, which others cannot imagine. He believes that so-called normal people have low emotions. Carla stays on medicines and decides to abort the fetus, as she does not want the child to be raised by a maniac father. This conflict leads to their separation. A year later, they meet on the launch of a book detailing their life journey together. At this time, Carla is living with another man but gives the impression that she still has feelings for Marco.

       I think the director is trying to say that mania brings a visionary personality, that many famous authors, poets; painters did their famous work in the state of euphoria. They are trying to establish a connection between heightened emotions and creativity. Main characters have mania but nowhere in the film they are shown dangerous to others or society.

It leaves viewers thinking what is normal behavior, who decides the normal behavior, is it perfectly fine to medicate these people and suppress the stage where they feel their real self and become more creative, can these people still live in society and become productive, and is it okay to let these people live together, have children, and raise them.

Dr. Bharti Raizada