A Hole in the Head

A Hole in the Head is a 54-minute documentary directed by Eli Kabillio (produced by Cevin D. Soling) that investigates the contemporary revival of trepanation — the deliberate drilling or boring of a small hole in the human skull. The film profiles voluntary trepanees in the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Netherlands who have undergone or self-administered the procedure with the goal of attaining a higher level of consciousness and improved cognitive function. Central figures include Joey Mellen, Bart Huges (the Dutch theorist widely credited with sparking the modern trepanation movement), Amanda Feilding, and Jenny Gathorne-Hardy. Huges's core thesis — that the fused adult skull restricts brain pulsations and that reopening it restores the cerebrovascular dynamics of infancy, increasing brain blood volume and thereby enhancing mental capacity — is presented and examined. The film traces trepanation's deep historical roots, noting that ancient Egyptian, Incan, and other early civilizations performed the procedure, lending it an air of archaeological legitimacy in the eyes of its proponents. Counterbalancing the believers' testimonials, the documentary includes interviews with respected neurosurgeons and anthropologists who assess the practice's claimed benefits and its real medical risks. The producers include an explicit disclaimer that they do not endorse or encourage trepanation, and the film contains graphic footage of the procedure. The documentary won Best Documentary honours at both the Atlantic City Film Festival and the Brooklyn International Film Festival.

Sources: TMDb overview, IMDb, Spectacle Films product page, MUBI