Last week my husband Tom and I were invited to fly into Chicago for the premiere of the movie, America the Beautiful (www.AmericatheBeautifuldoc.com), a documentary that reveals the ugly truth behind our country’s unhealthy obsession with beauty. The Director, Darryl Roberts, spent a couple of days with us a few years ago filming during and after presentations we gave at the Claremont Colleges in southern California. We’ve been filmed by PBS, MTV and numerous other “Independent” film projects and have always made the cutting room floor. We had no reason to believe this time would be any different even though Darryl assured us, “Trust me…you are in my movie.”
In early November 2007, Darryl emailed us asking if we would join him on the red carpet for his documentary’s debut in Hollywood for the start of its global odyssey through the “independent film festivals.” At that time our daughter Jocelyn was still paralyzed and hospitalized with the devastation of Guillane-Barré syndrome—although I read the email I never responded. I mentioned to Tom that we were evidently included in the film (our role is very minor) and then went back to caring for our daughter and did not give it another thought.
A few weeks ago the documentary went from film festival favorite to full-fledged movie release with its opening in Chicago. It’s rated R (due to language)…which means that a large portion of those who need to hear its message must be accompanied by an adult. At first I was disappointed, but then realized that this means that maybe parents will accompany their young adults into the theater. The message is one that is important for all to hear. In Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun Times review last Friday he exclaimed that the movie had a “Powerful message” and that it was "A film that might rescue the lives of…girls age 12 and up!”
After seeing the movie, our Andrea’s Voice Foundation is arranging to bring it to Napa as a fund raiser for the Foundation. It is a powerful statement about the price of beauty in America. Darryl Roberts proclaims it “More than a movie…it’s a movement.” In a recent email he explained why he feels his documentary matters:
The reason I believe a movie about our unhealthy obsession with beauty is important is because it really effects young girls. The average girl, 8 to 18 years of age, doesn't like her body, doesn't feel she's attractive and is contemplating dieting or even worse, plastic surgery. This is very unhealthy because as we all know, a healthy self-esteem is the engine that makes you assertive, confident and ready to take on the world. Unfortunately, this has been taken away from a lot of us, so that some beauty companies can sell more products and the CEO's of these companies can drive Bentley's.
If you have an opportunity to see this movie, please take it…it could give you a whole new perspective on beauty. A mother who attended last weekend’s opening in Chicago with her 12-year-old daughter nearly made Darryl cry when she told him, “Watching this film with my daughter is the best Mother's Day present that I could have had today."
Blessings until next time,
Doris
Beau Cote Centre has arranged for America The Beautiful to be Screening in Vancouver BC, Canada Tuesday August 12!! It's an amazing movie Darryl Roberts has created. We can't wait to see it in the Theater!!
Posted by: Jennifer | July 26, 2008 at 08:16 PM
I am looking forward to seeing this film also Doris.
hope you are well.
Posted by: debra | May 22, 2008 at 08:27 PM