Abstract

The article presents a textual analysis of Magical girl, a movie directed by the controversial Spanish filmmaker Carlos Vermut and released in 2014. The analysis and psychoanalytic interpretation focus on the figure of the father, a key figure in both culture and the structure of subjectivity. The film weaves together various allegorical references to fairy tales and myths, creating a representation of fatherhood that shifts ambivalently between two extremes: on one side, we have the father of the primitive horde, who is like a totemic animal omnipotent, violent, and indulgent; on the other side, we have a humiliated, guilty father who ultimately wishes not to exist.

In an era characterized by the fragility and decline of the paternal function across multiple domains –such as the family, education, religion, and politics– a film like Magical girl may offer valuable insights for reflecting on the emerging configurations of fatherhood in contemporary society.

Keywords: Textual Analysis | Interpreting | Carlos Vermut | Father | Myth | Blame