The Confessions of Thomas Quick
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 – 7:30pm
Great Britain 2015. Dir: Brian Hill. 95 min. Blu-ray Disc
VANCOUVER PREMIERE | Thomas Quick was the nom de criminel of Swedish serial killer Sture Bergwall, who gained infamy in the 1990s by confessing to the murder (and in some cases, rape and cannibalism) of more than 30 individuals. In 1991, Bergwall, a 41-year-old loner and benzodiazepine addict, was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to Säter psychiatric hospital. There, in intense psychoanalytic sessions meant to bring out deep-seated repressed memories, he began recalling his horrific crimes, the details of which were the basis for his later convictions. In 2008, Bergwall shocked the world again by recanting everything. Had Sweden’s worst serial killer been, in fact, the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice? Using first-hand accounts by Bergwall himself, reconstructions (sometimes grisly), and copious archival footage, the film uncovers the incredible truth behind the headlines.
Post-screening discussion with Dr. Roy O’Shaughnessy, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UBC, where he is Head, Division of Forensic Psychiatry.
Moderated by Dr. Harry Karlinsky, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia.