An artist I admire, Bethany Orr, reached out to me and asked if I’d like to watch, and write a few words about a 7 minute short she wrote and directed titled, Umwelt. Having seen Bethany in Excess Flesh, and knowing she is passionate about her work, I agreed.
The title of the film is pronounced o͝omvelt, and it refers to the world as experienced by a particular organism. How such subjectivity and egocentricity can dangerously distort perspective is focused on through the experiences of main character, Damien, who descends into psychosis during a group therapy session for “incels.” If you just looked up the meaning of that word, you are not alone.
Incel is a portmanteau of Involuntary Celibates, and refers to a subculture of mostly white males who deem themselves unable to find sex partners despite wanting to be in sexual relationships. In the film, four of the five group members lament various physical attributes about themselves they are certain make them anathema to women. Dialogue between group members suggests elements of victim mentality and even some traits of covert narcissism, both of which make sympathizing with these men difficult. The group is facilitated by “Sami”, played by Orr who understands a female therapist is a deft choice for men who have difficulty developing relationships with women.
The irony of the incel movement is that it was started in 1993 by a Canadian woman known only as “Alana”. She started a website for people who believed themselves sex deprived due to social awkwardness, marginalization, or mental illness, and intended her online forum to be an inclusive environment in which members shared their experiences of lonliness. Eventually, Alana realized she was gay, and once she became more comfortable with her identity, she gave the site to a stranger, unaware of what it would become.
It is Damien, the fifth member of the group, who exemplifies what certain sub-communities of incels have mutated into. He represents the extent to which groups with even the most benign intentions can develop a radical wing through distorted points of view rooted in self-loathing, external hatred, and isolation. It is clear from the film’s first frame that Damien is a loaner who fuels his rage by listening to anthropological lectures on how “beta” apes plot to overthrow an “alpha” for whom mates are readily available.
Damien’s is the umvelt in question, and we begin to see the world through his distorted lens as his obvious hatred toward women spills into a session. Damien’s self-loathing has morphed into misogyny and resentment toward women he believes withhold themselves from him. This ideology is in accord with that of real radical incels who condone hate speech and violence toward women.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX_2NzRmkeE
Umwelt introduced several new terms to me, the most shocking of which is “reverse rape”, a term Damien uses to describe the experience of another group member being ignored by a woman. Because incels believe this traumatic, they feel entitled to inclusion in the #metoo movement. There several terms in the incel vernacular, such as “Chads’ and “Staceys”, as a reference to people for whom it is easy to find sex partners, and “normie,” which refers to anyone not of the incel community. There are also many other terms.
Umwelt raises major questions about male privilege, covert narcissism, and the power of groupthink, all in a seven-minute stretch during which every sound and visual is meaningful. Orr and longtime collaborator, Patrick Kennelly, who edited the film, build tension through Damien’s silence and contorted facial expressions, both of which foreshadow the storm to come.
The end of the film, which I won’t give away because it’s included here, references male fears of women’s power to create and sustain life, and how isolation combined with a distorted view of the world can result in violence and self-destruction.
In my research about the incel community, I discovered there have been several mass murders committed by men who identify as incel, or who share similar ideology. Because these crimes are connected to the radicalization of an idea, and are linked to a targeted group, it has been suggested these acts of mass murder are actually terroristic in nature.
Watch this film as an interesting character study, as a portrayal of severe personality disorder, or as a warning about the dangers of perceived male supremacy. It is eye-opening, and taught me a great deal about a group I had no idea existed, but will certainly remain in my consciousness.
