The Secret of Dr Grinberg Review

Written By Tess Cox 

Secrets, scandals and shamans. The tantalising tale of Dr Grinberg, a renowned psychophysiologist, who fell into ambiguity at the height of his career in 1994- when he went missing without a trace. Through a thorough investigation spanning continents, realities and people, the viewer is left pondering what really happened to Dr Grinberg and who was to blame?

The path of Grinberg begins in the consciousness. Through his work on light as something that does not exist to extraocular vision in children, Grinberg is immediately placed under a defining scope as someone that could pose a threat to the functioning of society. For instance, if children can use extraocular vision, perhaps humanity can twist this power for their own means. If this is the case, one cannot help but think various governments would have something to gain by Grinberg being silenced. A silencing of Grinberg would retain the status quo, rather than a subversion of it. 

However, the documentary is not as linear as that. The enigma of Dr Grinberg and his exploits with major figures, such as Castaneda, raise the question of a labyrinth; does it matter who was responsible for his disappearance if everyone in his life to some degree took him further away from civilisation? If you are looking for a documentary that truly explores what it means to be a dangerous visionary, you will not be disappointed.