61st Annual Meeting

October 18 - 25, 2014

Media Theatre 4 (open)

Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson's Ode to the Resilient Adolescent

The 2012 film, Moonrise Kingdom, is a wonderful, if somewhat whimsical, depiction of two precocious, high-risk children who are ultimately resilient and triumph in the face of adversity. There are two main characters: Sam, who is embedded within an overburdened foster care system, and Suzy, who exhibits many traits consistent with emerging borderline personality disorder. The pivotal role of positive relationships with mentors, peers, and other secure attachment figures in the film serves as a backdrop for discussion. Attendees are able to identify the three core principles associated with resiliency in children and learn how to foster resiliency; gain a deeper understanding of the diagnoses and treatment for borderline personality disorder in adolescents; and better understand the current state of psychiatric treatment for children within the foster care system.