Baby Girl

Bonds of desire

Abstract

The film Baby Girl explores, through its character dynamics and relationships, central psychoanalytic themes such as desire, repetitive compulsion, and the tensions between domination and submission. From a psychoanalytic perspective, it is possible to observe how the concept of bondage - both physical and symbolic - is used to represent the psychological and emotional bonds that imprison the protagonists. The use of bondage in the film connects to the Lacanian desire in which the characters incessantly seek to fill a lack that is never completely satisfied, reflecting the constant cycle of unsatisfied desire that characterizes the human psyche. In addition, the film reflects the complex relationships between the subject and social norms (superego) that act as invisible bonds, restricting the characters' choices and shaping their actions. In this context, Baby Girl can be interpreted as a metaphor for the subject's internal struggle between the desire for freedom and the need for submission to a broader structure, be it social, familial or emotional. Through visual resources such as claustrophobic framing and the use of light and shadow, the film reinforces the characters' sense of imprisonment. However, moments of greater freedom and movement suggest the possibility of liberation from the bonds, inviting the audience to reflect on the limits between power structures and individual autonomy. The film not only explores physical and psychological bondage, but also proposes a reflection over relations of power, repetitive compulsions and the possibilities of transformation and liberation of the characters.