"The Voorman Project"

“The Voorman Project”

“Now, would you mind telling me how long you have believed yourself to be a god?”

“I may ask you the same question!”

“I do not believe myself to be a god.”

“You believe yourself to be a psychiatrist.”

“Uh, yes. Since I began practicing my profession.”

“I have been a god ever since I began practicing my profession”

“I see.” (4.03-4.37)  

In my opinion, this short film questions authority: Who has it and why? Who does not have it and why not? First, it is necessary to begin the difference between power and authority. If one has power, he is capable of influencing or controlling others’ behaviors. If one has authority, he has the right to enforce obedience and make orders.

The prisoner, Voorman believes himself to be a god that created the universe and everything within it merely nine days ago. He also created all the evidence to juxtapose his creation. Governor Bentley called Dr. Williams, a psychiatrist in the prison ward to determine if inmate Voorman is insane or just faking his condition. Governor Bentley seems to abuse his authority because he claims that the computer system had failed and he does not know the crimes the inmates have been convicted of or the length of their sentence. He has all of the power and all of the authority in this situation because he has the ability to control the length of their sentence and he has the authority to actually enforce it.

When Dr. Williams first meets Voorman, Voorman is sitting in a cell by himself, locked in a straightjacket. The passage above is the first conversation that Dr. Williams has with his patient. Voorman is a dynamic character who constantly questions authority. He wonders why the psychiatrist has all of the authority, while he himself has none. Who deems someone as authoritative? Voorman argues that he has power. Governor Bentley tells Dr. Williams that Voorman has been put in isolation because he has influenced the other inmates. Dr. Williams threatens to take away both his power and authority by determining him to be insane.

He also questions the difference between a psychiatrist (who is given immense power and authority to determine if somebody is mentally competent or insane) and a god (who oversees and maintains the universe). Voorman does not understand why Dr. Williams can have authority and he cannot, considering they both have established power in their professions. The problem with people who are deemed insane is that nobody believes them, even if they are telling the truth. Therefore, they lack power and authority. People who are deemed “normal” have all of the authority because they are not insane.

This short film is interesting because it ends with a reversal of authority. Dr. Williams is left locked in a straightjacket questioning his sanity while Voorman is set free to have all of the authority. It explores what happens when sane people are actually insane. Who is allowed to judge who is insane versus who has to play the role of the insane?