ABSTRACT
Approaching intersubjectivity theory through Bionion concepts, the authors emphasize elaboration of the game without the need to decode its content. The analyst/therapist rather functions as “assistant director” to a daydreaming film in progress, with the recognition that our technique must be adjusted to fit the developmental capacity of a particular child’s container. Children who display symptoms that are not very serious need support from the therapist in editing the waking film/dream, starting from the points at which the dream is interrupted; for children who do not know how to play, in contrast, what is needed is the construction together of a place in the mind where dreams are given life. Through a variety of rich clinical examples, Ferro and Molinari describe patient and analyst playing together in the game/film of the session, in some cases restoring images damaged by sudden emotional wildfires. Like the Lumière brothers, who discovered the principle of animated film by observing their mother using a sewing machine, this pair must find the right speed at which to move together to restore the creative feeling of continuity and movement in the mind.
