A brief review of an animated film for children that any adult would benefit from seeing.
What happens after sunset has long sparked countless superstitions and questions. Do you know why cats meow at night? Or why you wake up in the morning with messy hair? Or how dew forms on the grass? Don’t bother looking it up in an encyclopedia—just watch Nocturna and you’ll find out everything.
This film follows Tim, a little boy who is afraid of the dark. Like many children his age, he needed at least some source of light to fall asleep. So every night, to fall asleep, he would open his window and look at his star. It shone for him, and his fear would fade. From the very beginning, fear dictates Tim’s behavior, and the hero is unable to face it on his own.
But one night, Tim couldn’t open the window, so he had to climb onto the roof of the building. There, he saw the stars suddenly begin to disappear, one by one. He realizes he must act—but how? Where to go? What to do? Help arrives in the form of the Cat Shepherd, one of the residents of Night City. He tells Tim about the wise Moka, who will surely be able to solve this mystery. From that moment, the adventure begins, introducing the boy to the night city. Further adventures unfold on the dimming streets, among new friends and companions.
In the end, it turns out that the boy’s fear of the dark has transformed into the Light Thief. It is fear itself that is responsible for the fading light of the stars and street lamps. And if the light disappears, so will the city of night. The only one capable of defeating the Light Thief is Tim.
I often recall this animated film when working with clients on their fears—and not just that. Alongside fears, this film illustrates how important (and responsible) the client’s own participation is in their healing. Despite their strength, the residents of Night City cannot overcome the threat (even all-powerful, wise Moka cannot). Only the main character can defeat his own fear. What’s more, he must do it without anyone’s help. Just him, alone.
In other words, no specialist can overcome their clients’ difficulties for them. The specialist knows that the resources are already within the client themselves and merely provides opportunities to unlock those resources. A space for heroism. It’s natural that people expect miracles from a psychologist. Even when they know about psychology not just from popular literature, certain childhood ideas that “I’ll come, and a miracle will happen” persist. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just part of our personality, a part in which the figure of the psychologist holds extraordinary power. A certain idealization and idolization is necessary to begin the work. Only gradually, over time, do we begin to turn toward ourselves, toward our own abilities. When we’re ready.
The film’s idea is quite positive: face your fears and overcome them (note: this doesn’t work in cases of real fears that threaten life without thorough preparation!). After that, you can find the strength within yourself to rely on your own resources in a critical moment. In other words, Night City can be seen as a metaphor for the client’s inner world, explored in the psychologist’s office. Where Darkness may lurk, but there is also someone who can guide you through this world, help you get to know it—your “Night City”—and ultimately, know yourself.
