Embrace

Overview

You might've heard of Taryn Brumfitt, a photographer and Adelaide-based mother-of-three, and one of Australia's leading voices on the topic of healthy body image. In fact, you've probably seen her before-and-after photos, which defy the all-too-common belief that thin equals happy. Her 2013 Facebook post went viral, seen by more than 100 million people around the world. Ashton Kutcher shared it, international talk shows came calling, and her inbox was flooded with emails from women with stories about their own struggle with body image and shame.

Motivated by these experiences, Brumfitt has now turned to filmmaking, crafting a documentary about the onslaught of issues and opinions women face when it comes to the concept of beauty, and the compulsive need people feel to conform to society's arbitrary physical standards. The epitome of an activist picture crusading for a cause, the impassioned Embrace presents a wealth of information about a topic that's clearly near and dear to its maker's heart: encouraging everyone to love their bodies, just the way they are.

Indeed, in a world where airbrushed models can be seen on every screen, and the beauty and diet industry rely on insecurity to turn a profit, Brumfitt's film could hardly feel more crucial. Embrace reveals an engrained self-loathing many women feel when asked about their appearance, and emphasises the need for a broader conversation on the subject. That the film was largely funded by Kickstarter contributions shows that she's not the only person eager to talk about the topic, either.

Accordingly, in addition to recounting Brumfitt's personal experience, Embrace touches on everything from eating disorders and plastic surgery to recovering from physical harm and finding a space for varied representation in the media. She chats with a model considered plus-sized, and gets a consultation from someone eager to use a scalpel to improve her body. Famous faces such as British TV personality Amanda De Cadenet and American television host Ricki Lake give insights into their ups and downs. Burn victim Turia Pitt also relates her journey, as does German actress Nora Tschirner, with the two offering varied examples of the eternal attempt to be comfortable in one's own skin.

It's an inspiring compilation — albeit one that can seem a tad repetitious. Of course, it could be argued that the film's message needs to be stressed again and again, until the battle for a more inclusive and positive approach to body image has been won. On the technical side of things, there's little about Embrace that hasn't been seen before, though again, its just-polished-enough sheen suits its content. Ultimately, when it comes to championing the importance of looking beyond the surface, this documentary does everything it can to make its statement heard.