STRAIGHT/CURVE: REDEFINING BODY IMAGE
A documentary about body image and the industry leaders challenging society's unrealistic and dangerous standards of beauty.
Synopsis
Ninety percent of women and young girls say they do not feel represented in the fashion industry or in media, and that the imagery they consume on a daily basis makes them feel “disgusting” and “less than”.
The exciting new documentary Straight/Curve examines the industries and obstacles responsible for this body image crisis and showcases the dynamic leaders fighting for more diversity of size, race and age.
Bring Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image to YOUR School or Community
For more information about bringing Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image to your community, please visit our “Host a Screening” page.
“We want Straight/Curve to be required viewing at every public health and design school.”
– Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
“Straight/Curve isn’t just another film about body image. It provides an empowering look into how to make real change in the fashion industry. These changes can have lasting effects on how women and girls see themselves. The film should be required for high school and college classrooms.”
– Gonzaga University
“In a time when our students are spending more time with media than ever before, it is crucial that they (and we) redefine beauty and reject the unrealistic standards of perfection. Straight/Curve begins this redefinition by taking a critical look at the narrow definition of beauty in the fashion industry. Viewers will leave this film feeling energized to look at themselves and the mediated world around them differently and the impenetrable fashion industry may also join in critically reassessing its values”
– Cedar Crest College
“Straight/Curve offers an inspiring portrayal of how a determined group of people can join together to fight for what’s right, even if it means having to change our whole society and fundamentally how we see the value of other people and ourselves. The film spurred a great discussion on fat activism, stigma, and health equity among the students, researchers, and eating disorders professionals who attended our screening at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.”
– S. Bryn Austin, ScD, Director, Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Boston Children’s Hospital
“Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image is a film that should be shown on more college campuses, exposed to larger audiences…People, especially a primary college student demographic, should be determined to learn about this issue so we as a whole can be educated and come together to stop it.”
– Her Campus at Bryant University
WHAT IS BODY IMAGE?
Body image is an intellectual or idealized image of what one’s body is – or should look like. It is sometimes misconceived, and influenced heavily by the fashion industry, media and society. Negative body image can lead to illness, under performance and low self esteem.
THE FACTS:
90% of women and young girls say they do not feel represented by the fashion industry or media, and the imagery they are consuming on a daily basis makes them feel “disgusting” and “less than”. This is leading to the biggest public health crisis of recent years in the United States.
OUR GOAL.
Straight/Curve can combat negative body image, low self esteem and under performance among girls by giving teenagers and women the language to talk about body image, implicit bias and representation – topics they are deeply interested in but may be uncomfortable talking about.
Press
Our Team
Jenny McQuaile
Director/ Producer
Jenny McQuaile is an award-winning NYC-based journalist and documentary filmmaker. She began her career in journalism in Ireland and London and moved to New York to pursue a career in film. She has worked in production on major TV series and feature films such as Steven Soderberg’s “The Knick”, “Annie”, “Blue Bloods” “About Ray” and “The Bleeder”.
Jenny is an Associate Producer on “The World Cup Project”, a TV documentary series about 11 countries around the world that use soccer for social change. She directed and edited three episodes of the series including “Laces”, set in Liberia, that won Best Documentary Short at the NYLA International Film Festival in 2015, and was an Official Selection at The Lighthouse International Film Festival. She co-directed the feature length documentary "Power of Play" also set in Liberia. She is a member of the Irish Film and TV Academy.
Jessica Lewis
Producer
Jessica Lewis is a model and body image expert with a strong focus on women and the media. A Toronto native, she began straight modeling at the age of 15 and was soon shooting for major worldwide publications including Italian Vogue, W and Elle and walking runways around the world for designers including Alexander Wang and Burberry. In 2011, after 10 years working both high end and commercial fashion around the world, Jessica took a break and came back as a plus-size model.
Jessica recently became a board certified health coach (RHC) and has contributed articles in Cosmopolitan, Italian Vogue, The Huffington Post among many others on the topic of body image initiatives and campaigns. She is also a board member at the prestigious Fashion Group International Toronto (FGI).
Yael Melamede
Producer
Yael Melamede is the co-founder of SALTY Features - an independent production company based in NYC whose goal is to create media that is provocative, entertaining and enhances the world. SALTY’s previous film and Melamede’s directorial debut "(Dis)Honesty – The Truth About Lies" was released to great critical acclaim in May 2015.
SALTY’s other films include "Inocente", directed by Sean and Andrea Fine, winner of the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short; "When I Walk", directed by Jason DaSiliva, winner of the 2015 Documentary Emmy; and "Desert Runners", directed by Jennifer Steinman, winner of multiple awards in the US and around the world. Other producing credits include: "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men", "The Inner Life of Martin Frost", "My Architect", nominated for an Academy Award in 2004.
Melamede was trained as an architect before becoming a filmmaker.
Behind the Scenes
Charli
PhotoshootNayyara Chue, Parsons
Frame GrabNathalia
PhotoshootPhilomena
PhotoshootRobyn
PhotoshootJeffrey Mayer, Syracuse University
Frame GrabSasha
PhotoshootTim Gunn
Frame GrabIskra & Sabina
PhotoshootStraight/Curve Crew
Behind the ScenesIskra
PhotoshootSabina
PhotoshootPhotoshoot BTS
Behind the ScenesPhotoshoot BTS
Behind the ScenesErica
PhotoshootBecca McCharen-Tran, Chromat
Frame GrabPhotoshoot BTS
Behind the ScenesDenise
PhotoshootHans Dorsinville, Laird & Partners
Frame GrabNicola
Photoshoot