Parents' Guide to Exhibiting Forgiveness

This is a heartrending but beautifully acted drama. Exhibiting Forgiveness—the story of generational trauma and the symptoms that can come with it, such as gaslighting or re-creating the past into something happier—is told in a relatable, accessible way. While many people thankfully can say that they didn't grow up in harsh households like the one depicted here, plenty of people have, suffering at the hands of caretakers who caused harm, even when they were doing their best.

And it's certainly relatable to see parents looking at life from their own point of view rather than their child's. Exhibiting Forgiveness illustrates how parents at the center of their child's trauma also face pain from recognizing that they hurt their child; their denial may be a way to save face and protect themselves from feeling shame. In other words, parents are people too, and, like children, they don't necessarily have all the tools necessary to voice their emotions or deal with life's wounds. Overall, Exhibiting Forgiveness is a beautiful, touching film about how moving on means facing your past.