Look Into My Eyes, a documentary film premiering in theaters on Sept. 6, follows the lives of seven psychics in New York City, providing an intimate glimpse into their work with clients.
The documentary refrains from taking a stance on the validity of psychic abilities, instead leaving that judgment to viewers. Director Lana Wilson, known for her work on documentaries like and , aims to offer an authentic experience of what a psychic reading entails.
“My intention is not to convince anyone of the reality of psychic readings,” Wilson explains to TIME. “I want to convey the emotional impact of being in a psychic reading, highlighting the potential for processing life experiences, dealing with loss, grief, and pain, and providing a space for these emotions.”
Behind the Scenes
Psychics, also known as clairvoyants or mediums, claim the ability to communicate with the deceased and predict the future, with varying degrees of emphasis on each ability. The practice of communicating with the dead gained popularity in America during the , as a way for individuals who lost loved ones in the war to maintain a connection with them.
Wilson, intrigued by the nature of being a psychic during a period of uncertainty, reached out to several psychics during the . After receiving the green light for her film, Wilson interviewed over 150 mediums to select her main characters. She was granted access to film their sessions and even their homes. Recognizing the negative stereotype of psychics as financially exploitative, Wilson emphasizes her search for “genuinely committed individuals who openly question and doubt their abilities, but genuinely seek a connection to something greater than themselves.”
To recruit participants for the sessions featured in the movie, a team of production assistants fluent in 11 languages set up tables offering free psychic readings in New York parks and outside grocery stores. These assistants conducted initial conversations with potential clients, and then a filmmaker interviewed them further via Zoom to select the subjects featured in the film. Approximately 90% of the sessions depicted in the film originated from these impromptu tables set up around the city.
The Life of a Psychic
Many of the psychics featured in the movie harbored aspirations of becoming actors or performers. Michael Kim, an actor, juggles auditions with his sessions. Eugene Grygo, a playwright and screenwriter, holds a passion for singing, as demonstrated by his voice lessons throughout the film as he prepares to perform at an open mic night. Sherrie Lynne, known as a “party psychic” hired for readings at social gatherings, attended art school and is shown painting throughout the film. Phoebe Hoffman, an animal psychic who claims to read the minds of pets, aspires to act and has a -themed living room.
Several of the featured psychics have endured traumatic childhoods and experienced loss at a young age, providing them with empathy for their clients. Grygo breaks down in tears as he recounts the loss of his brother during his teenage years. Kim shares his personal struggles as an adopted Asian child raised by white parents with a client who shares a similar background and desires to connect with her birth parents. Psychic Per Erik Borja, with tears in his eyes, speaks about his profound longing for his best friend who passed away years ago, acknowledging in the film, “people perceive us as having all the answers, but when it comes to our own lives, we’re just as lost.”
The documentary suggests that the accuracy of psychic readings is ultimately secondary. The film showcases the value of genuine, one-on-one conversations between strangers, emphasizing the importance of companionship. As Ilka Poinheiro, one of the featured psychics, aptly puts it in the film, “If it resonates with the person I’m talking to, it doesn’t f***ing matter.”
Wilson aims to convey the cathartic nature of connecting with a good listener or engaging in activities that foster a sense of understanding. As she shares with TIME, “in the end, it’s all about the connection. As humans, we deeply crave feeling truly seen and connected to others. That moment of connection feels magical, and it can occur through a psychic reading, a conversation, interacting with a religious leader, watching a film, or reading a book.”
