Film Screening - Beauty Is? - 13.07.14
Black History Walks presents Beauty Is. Screening with a special Q & A with director Toyin Agbetu
Written and directed by community educator and guerrilla film maker Toyin Agbetu asks what is beauty? His feature length film examines what it means to be attractive when viewed through the topic of hair, skin shade, body image and character. It's a serious, yet often humorous cross between Chris Rock's "Good Hair" and Bill Duke/D. Channsin Berry's "Dark Girls" documentaries with some sensitive Oprah styled interviews mixed in.
The film explores the risks posed by chemical straighteners and skin bleaching, it shares insights on conditions like Vitiligo and Alopecia whilst discussing the impact of biased media on children and personal relationships.
It also examines the nature of our external features such as hair, skin and body shape, and then dives deep into investigating societal pressures from both our peers and a sexist global media that feeds insecurities about body image whilst perpetuating shadism and western beauty ideals. The documentary asks questions about the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry and reveals through experts how the harmful chemicals in some skin bleaching creams and hair straightening products work. This film offers a unique look beyond the traditional? natural v processed? looks argument to engage with a philosophical debate about the role of ethnicity, gender, culture and tradition in defining what beauty really means in a wonderfully diverse world of billions.
Backed by a global campaign to challenge governments and the pharmaceutical industry, this is edutainment that may just change your life.
