UHCL screens animated film ‘Inside Out’
The Psi Chi and Psychology Club partnered with the Office of Student Life Sept. 12 to screen the film “Inside Out.” The animated film demonstrates the different emotions people regularly experience throughout their lives by showing the first-person perspective inside the mind of a child. The film captured the attention of both adults and children, leaving the audience with a powerful message on personality and emotional maturity.
The film took the audience on an adventure through the mind of an 11–year-old girl named Riley, who was experiencing a major shift in life. This life-changing experience caused her mind to be in a state of quick emotional changes over a short period of time. Along with presenting the life of Riley, the film also showed some of her most important memories and the role each emotion played to form that memory. The creators of “Inside Out” demonstrated the effects of each emotion on one’s personality by creating a different character to represent each primary emotion.
“The film helps children identify five basic emotions,” said David Chavers, doctoral psychology intern with UHCL’s Counseling Services.
Chavers, a guest speaker for the film, discussed the basic emotions: anger, sadness, joy, disgust and fear and how they are individually portrayed in the film. Each emotion has its own color and attitude, giving children a simplified representation of feelings. The film not only highlighted the difference in emotions, but it showed the importance of being able to feel each emotion instead of trying to ignore them. This was an important factor in the film because it later helps explain the process of emotional maturity.
“Emotions were in control of Riley; we operate via emotion,” said Jon Reeves, doctoral psychology intern with UHCL’S Counseling Services and fellow guest speaker.
Reeves commented on how emotions play a big part in guiding our actions. In the film, Riley bases her actions on her current emotion. This is also often true of our own daily lives when we make decisions based on feelings.
The issues presented in the film gave concrete physical appearances to the emotions, which gave children a helpful way to identify their feelings. It also provided a way for parents to be able to visually communicate the purpose and role of emotions to their children. The screening brought a full audience to UHCL and left viewers of all ages in tears – exemplifying the film’s message of how tears are not always an unhealthy emotional state.
The full schedule for this fall’s Film and Speaker Series can be found online at UHCL/movies or by contacting Sonia Hernandez. The animated film “Inside Out” was selected as part of the series to bring to light the topic of emotions and how they are expressed. The Film and Speaker Series allows students and the public to enjoy films on campus in the Student Services Lecture Hall. The series also gives individuals and families the opportunity to gain insight into the meaning behind the chosen film and thoughts of the audience.
